COHABITATION DECISIONS AMONG HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS: A PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL, FAMILIAL AND RELATIONAL INFLUENCES

Abstract

This study examine Cohabitation decisions among higher education students: A psychological analysis of financial, familial and relational influences.  A  descriptive research design  was used to examine the influence of the attendant variables. Four (4) research questions were raised and analyzed. Four hundred and fifty (450) undergraduate students were randomly selected from five faculties in Ayegbaju campus of the Part Time Programme of Federal university, Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria. Standardized instruments were administered to the participants. Descriptive statistics and, t-test was used to analyze the data. The study revealed that there is a significant relationship between economic/ financial dependency and cohabitation decision: that parental socio-economic status has a significant correlation with a decision to cohabit: that relationship satisfaction during cohabitation is significantly correlated with a decision to cohabit and that there is a significant joint effect of economic/ financial dependency, parental socio-economic status and relationship satisfaction on the decision to cohabit.  Based on these results it was recommended that emerging adults, especially those from lower socioeconomic origins, should be the focus of financial literacy initiatives implemented by educational institutions and community organizations and that academic and clinical counselling services ought to incorporate relationship education and financial counselling, emphasizing:  managing monetary stress in love partnerships. enhancing communication and resolving disputes while the economy is struggling preparing with reasonable expectations for marriage or cohabitation.