Vol. 1, December 2023

Social Insecurity and Proneness to Get- Rich-Quik Syndrome Among Adolescents in Lagos State, Nigeria: Counseling for National Development

Prof. A. O. Badejo, Stella Ngozi Chinwuba-Anameje

Abstract

Proneness to get-rich-quick syndrome is a strong attraction and preference to irrational and unabated
desire to make money at all cost and to live in luxury. It is a breeding arena for social insecurity
which is lack of confidence in one’s ability to do well and it is a creation of a person’s anxiety about
what could happen in the future. This study therefore investigated relationship between Social
Insecurity and Proneness to Get-Rich-Quick-Syndrome among adolescents in Lagos State:
Counselling for National Development. The study adopted descriptive survey design with two
research questions and three hypotheses. The sample consisted of 200 adolescents randomly selected
from four secondary schools in Lagos State. A 30-item questionnaire titled “Social Insecurity and
Proneness to Get- Rich-Quick-Syndrome Questionnaire (SIPGRQSQ)” was designed for data
collection. Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.88. Data analysis was
carried out using percentages, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, t-test and
ANOVA. The first hypothesis was rejected while the second and third hypotheses were not rejected.
Results showed that there exist a strong positive correlation between social insecurity and Proneness
to Get- Rich-Quick-Syndrome among participants. Results also revealed that adolescents’ Proneness
to Get- Rich-Quick-Syndrome is neither gender, nor age-based. Therefore, there is need for effective
counselling against attraction to Get-Rich-Quick-Syndrome which usually leads to social insecurity.
Also, counsellors should assist adolescents in overcoming anxiety and worry about how to succeed in
life through the use of appropriate counselling interventions. This will enhance our national
development.

Keywords

Adolescents, National Development, Proneness to Get- Rich-Quick-Syndrome and Social Insecurity

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