INSTITUTIONAL REGULATIONS AND STUDENTS’ ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS: A CASE STUDY OF COVENANT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Olujide A. Adekeye, Amos A. Alao, Abiodun M. Gesinde, Grace A. Adejuwon, Sussan O. Adeusi Department of Psychology, Covenant University (NIGERIA) Abstract Background: This study discusses students’ adjustment problems to institutional regulations and Covenant University is the case study. The main purpose of the study was to find out if students have problems adjusting to the university’s code of conduct and other regulations and to also find out the perceived causes of their maladjustment. Method: A 35 item questionnaire was developed for the purpose of this study titled ‘Questionnaire on Institutional Regulations and Students’ Adjustment Problem’. Two hundred (200) respondents were selected using both stratified and random sampling techniques. Three hypotheses were formulated at the 0.05 level of significance. The t test of independent samples, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses. Results: Hypothesis one shows that students in the lower levels are not more maladjusted than students in the higher levels (t =1.020, df = 198, p>0.05) and that male students are more maladjusted than female students (t =.009, df = 198, p<0.05). Hypothesis two shows that there is a positive and significant relationship between participants’ family background and adjustment level. (r=0.426, p<0.05) while the third hypothesis shows that there is a joint and independent interaction of age, sex, college and service units on students adjustment (F (1, 162) =3.614, P=0.05), Conclusion: The study shows the need for policy and plans including making the university counselling centre more effective so as to reduce the number of students circumventing the laid down rules and regulations. These would reduce the alarming rise in delinquency, truancy and anti-social behaviours among the students. Keywords: students, adjustment, Institutional regulations, service units, Covenant University. 1 INTRODUCTION The research work centres on students’ adjustment problems to institutional regulations. The society at large encompasses a variety of complex people who like to do things when they like, where they like, how they like and for various different reasons. In the pursuit of one’s personal interest, a life can be lost. Based on this reason, checks and balances need to be created, therefore, the emergence of rules and regulations. Regulation is an official rule, law, or order stating what may or may not be done or how something must be done. Rules are directives, guidelines, parameters, instructions, and byelaws meant for the purpose of control of people in a society. Covenant University is an institution of higher learning and it is domiciled in the society because the institution is one of the units of a society. It requires the use of rules and regulations for its day to day activities. It is from the institution that one begins to find him/herself in other groups such as academic associations, religious fellowships and social clubs. The institution is also a combination of people from different places with different dreams, ambitions, personality and family background. No two persons are exactly the same. Therefore, for smooth running of the institution the management had to make rules and regulations for the entire student body and these rules are to be obeyed or else erring students are sanctioned. The phase of being a youth is normally characterized by an overwhelming urge to be free and sometimes this is achieved through rebellion. According to Damon (1999) as children grow, they are increasingly exposed to influences beyond the family. They try to strike a balance between what they learn at home and outside the home and want to experiment to see which value favours and profits them. Young people often behave “abnormally” and according to Freud (1956), for adolescents to behave normal is itself “abnormal”. Behaviour for the socially maladjusted student is motivated by self- Proceedings of ICERI2015 Conference 16th-18th November 2015, Seville, Spain ISBN: 978-84-608-2657-6 0235