Demographic Characteristics and Get-Rich-Quick Tendencies of Adolescents in Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study examines the influence of demographic characteristics on get-rich-quick tendencies among adolescents in secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two corresponding null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study.
An ex-post facto research design was adopted. The population comprised 358,965 SS2 students in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State. A sample of 1,896 Senior Secondary Two students was selected using a multistage sampling procedure involving proportionate stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled “Demographic Characteristics and Get-Rich-Quick Tendency Questionnaire” (DCGRQTQ). The instrument was validated by three experts and yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.84 using Cronbach’s Alpha. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while the null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance using independent t-test statistics.
Findings revealed a significant influence of gender and school location on adolescents’ get-rich-quick tendencies. The study concludes that demographic factors play a critical role in shaping adolescents’ attitudes toward wealth acquisition.
It recommends, among other measures, that the government should support community-based programs that provide adolescents, particularly in underserved areas, with constructive pathways and practical skills to achieve their aspirations, thereby reducing the appeal of speculative shortcuts.