Personality traits as determinants of attitude towards pre-marital sex among secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State

Adolescents exhibit varied sexual behaviors, ranging from abstinence and monogamous practices to condom use and engaging in unprotected sex with multiple partners. This study therefore, investigated personality traits as determinants of attitudes toward premarital sex among secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. An expost facto research design using a cross-sectional survey method was adopted. The sample comprised 200 respondents, with 107 (53.5%) females and 93 (46.5%) males. Hypotheses were tested using appropriate inferential statistics. The findings revealed that personality traits significantly influenced attitudes toward premarital sex (F (5,195) = 17.181, p < .01; R² = .161). Among the traits, extraversion (β = .446, p < .01), openness to experience (β = .287, p < .05), and neuroticism (β = .346, p < .01) had significant independent effects on adolescents’ attitudes. Male students exhibited a more positive attitude toward premarital sex than their female counterparts (t (198) = 5.118, p < .05). However, religion and class of study showed no significant main effects [(F (2,193) = .138, p > .05); (F (3,193) = .276, p > .05)] or interactive effects (F (2,193) = .375, p > .05) on attitudes toward premarital sex. The study concluded that personality traits, particularly extraversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience, are critical determinants of attitudes toward premarital sex. It is recommended that secondary schools establish youth-friendly centers offering recreational activities to positively engage students and promote healthy behaviors.