Depressed Economy and Deviant Behavior among some Selected Nigerian Students

Abstract The incidence and accounts of current global economic happenings around the world is marked by several challenges, with the high cost of living being a prominent issue affecting people worldwide. Narrowing it down to local economy outlook of Nigeria, this research delved into perceived effect of depressed economy on undergraduate students, the deviant behaviours caused by the depressed economy and the coping mechanisms adopted by the students in addressing the depressed economy. A quantitative survey research method was adopted with the use of structured questionnaires carried out in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-iwoye, Ogun state among Social Science Faculty students, with a sample size of 357 respondents selected through the Taro Yamane formula. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS. The findings indicate that students face significant financial challenges, such as difficulty affording school fees, deteriorating living conditions, and increased transportation costs. These economic pressures affected the affordability of essential items like food and groceries. The findings draw attention to how the financial stress and limited economic opportunities contribute to the adoption of deviant behaviours such as gambling, cybercrime, transactional relationships etc., among students. Engaging in online classes to reduce transportation costs and reducing non-essential spending appear to be top on the coping mechanisms adopted by students in response to economic challenges. The study then concluded that there is significant correlation between economic hardship and the rise of deviant behaviours among students.