Title: Socioeconomic factors as a correlate of street begging among out of school Adolescents with Disability in Yobe State.
Authors: Usman ABDULLAHI, Adedayo ADESOKAN, Esther O. OGUNFEYITIMI, & Theophilus Ouwatimileyin TAIWO
Volume: 10
Issue: 8
Pages: 163-169
Publication Date: 2026/08/28
Abstract:
Street begging among out-of-school adolescents with disabilities has become an increasingly visible problem in Yobe State, Nigeria, leaving this vulnerable group exposed to exploitation, abuse, and deeper social exclusion. This study therefore examined the socioeconomic factors associated with street begging, specifically household income level, parental educational attainment, and parental occupation status. The study anchored on Social Exclusion Theory. A descriptive research of correlational design was adopted for the study. The study covered six Local Government Areas in Yobe State, drawing from a population of 1,871 caregivers of out-of-school adolescents with disabilities, from which 330 respondents were selected using purposive, proportionate and snowball sampling techniques. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire tagged "Socioeconomic Factors as Correlates of Street Begging Questionnaire" was validated by experts and tested for internal consistency, yielding a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.79. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the three research questions, while the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that household income level recording correlation (r = .548), parental educational recording correlation (r = .508), and parental occupation recording the strongest with correlation (r =.551), and each with a weighted mean above 3.00, which showed a statistically significant positive relationship with street begging, The study concluded that street begging results from social disadvantages and it was recommended among other that Government should strengthen financial support programmes for families of out-of-school adolescents with disabilities to reduce the economic conditions associated with street begging. Skill acquisition programmes should be expanded for out-of-school adolescents with disabilities to promote self-reliance and reduce dependence on street begging.