INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION, DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AND RELATIONAL MAINTENANCE AMONG UNMARRIED POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS OF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, NIGERIA

The study ascertained the level of relational maintenance among unmarried postgraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and as well as the relationship between interpersonal communication and relational maintenance among the postgraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife. Finally, it also examined the relationship between demographic variables and relational maintenance among the postgraduate students. These were with a view to providing useful information on relational maintenance among the unmarried postgraduate students. The study adopted survey design. The sample size comprised 600 postgraduate students selected from six selected faculties out of the thirteen Faculties in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, using multistage sampling technique. Thereafter, a total of 100 students were selected in each faculty using purposive sampling technique for those that were into dating relationship. One adapted and one self-constructed instruments were used to elicit information from the respondents. The adapted instrument was Relational Maintenance Scale (RMS) while Interpersonal Communication Inventory (ICI) was self-constructed. Percentages, frequency counts Pearson correlation and Chi-square were employed to analyze the data. The results showed that 24.8%, 52.5% and 22.7% of postgraduate students of Obafemi Awolowo Universities Ile-Ife demonstrated low, moderate and high levels of relational maintenance respectively. The study also indicated that there was a significant positive relationship between interpersonal communication and relational maintenance (r = 0.676, p > 0.05). Furthermore, the results showed significant relationship between sex of the students and relational maintenance (x² =24.271; df = 564, p > 0.05). Finally, the results showed significant relationship between age of the students and relational maintenance (x² = 47.837^a; df = 564, p > 0.05). It was concluded that irrespective of the age of the students, most unmarried postgraduate students in the study area had moderate level of relational maintenance.