PATH ANALYTICAL INVESTIGATION OF ADOLESCENTS RISK BEHAVIOUR IN KAMPALA PREDICTIVE WEIGHTS OF PARENTAL MONITORING, PEER INFLUENCE, RISK EXPOSURE, POCKET MONEY AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE

Abstract

The risk behaviour of adolescents is still a major health issue in sub-Saharan Africa whereby contextual aspects like peer influence, parental intervention, and Internet usage interact to determine the behavioural outcomes. This paper looked at the predictive pathways of risk behaviour of secondary school adolescents in Kampala, Uganda, through a path analytical approach. Correlational design was used, and the sample of 355 adolescents (M age = 16.4 years, SD = 1.8) was picked by multistage sampling. The measures were standardized and the measures comprised the Youth Risk Behaviour Survey, Parental Monitoring Scale, Peer Pressure Inventory, and Social Media Engagement Questionnaire. Data analysis was done through structural equation modelling (SEM) through AMOS. The risk behaviour of adolescents was greatly predicted by peer influence (0.536, p <.001) and parental monitoring (0.165, p <.001) was also found to be a negative predictor. The social media use and pocket money had indirect impacts with exposure to risk. Increased parental surveillance has been associated with decreased internet use and exposure to risky situations. The model demonstrated excellent fit indices (CFI = .999, GFI = .999, RMSEA = .000). Results underscore the multidimensional and interconnectedness of adolescent risk behaviour in Kampala. Interventions should be effective to enhance parental control, control digital activity among adolescents, and support prosocial peer groups. The research has a methodological contribution in that it uses a path analytical model to deconstruct the multifaceted behavioural dynamics among the African adolescent groups.