Abstract

This study investigated the psycho-contextual trajectories as determinants of early marriage among teenage girls in some ethnic groups in Northern Nigeria. The study was guided by three research questions. The study adopted the survey research design of expost-facto type. Eight hundred and thirty-two participants made the final sample for the study using both simple and stratified random sampling techniques.Four research instruments were used to collect data; Early Marriage Tendency Scale, Rathus Assertiveness Scale, General Decision -Making Scale and Parents Socio-Economic Status Scale.Data analysis was doneusing Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. Based on the results of this study, assertiveness skill (r= .576**), low autonomy in decision making (r= .852**) and socio-economic status (r= .664**)had significant relationship with early marriage. The independent variables jointly made 55.6% of the variance of early marriage among teenage girls. Low autonomy in decision making (β = .476, p <.001), socio-economic status (β = .089, p <.001) and assertiveness skill (β = .069, p <.001) significantly predicted early marriage. It was concluded that assertiveness skill, low autonomy in decision making, socio-economic status, were significant trajectories of early marriage.