ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study is to find out the influence of family counselling on family stability of married teachers in secondary schools in Dekina Education Zone of Kogi State and to make recommendation for further improvement. This is aimed at helping the married teachers in secondary schools grow and develop normal in family counselling on family stability. In the pursuit of the work, five research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated. They are designed to test the sources of family counselling to married teachers, to what extent do married teacher in secondary schools receive counselling, what is the influence of family counselling, on family stability of married teachers’ communication, to what extent does family counselling influence interpersonal relationship of married teachers and the factors militating against the family counselling of married teachers in secondary schools? The study was carried out in Dekina Education Zone of Kogi State, the Education Zone has three Local Government Areas, namely: Dekina, Ofu and Bassa. This zone has 34 public secondary schools with 12 in Dekina, 12 in Ofu and 10 in Bassa and Dekina is the headquarter of the zone. The total population of 400 married teachers in secondary schools in Dekina Education Zone were used. This consist of 323 males and 77 females marred teachers and questionnaire on a four point rating scale was designed. Data collected from the responses to the questionnaire were organized and analyzed using the Cronbach Alpha statistics to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. From the answers sources of family counselling influence married teachers seriously, the extent married teachers receive counselling is at large extent with the overall mean of 3.07, the influence of family counselling on family stability of married teachers’ communication is accepted and accommodating, that is, agree that the family stability of married teacher’s communication is influencing with the overall mean of 3.13 and 0.72 as the standard deviation, the extent the family counselling influence interpersonal relationship of married teachers is at large extent, that is married teachers are largely influenced and the factors militating against family counselling of married teachers in secondary schools is agreed that factors are seriously militating against the family counselling of married teachers with the mean of 3.14. It is clearly understood that the responses are agreed that the married teachers are influenced in the study area. The educational implication were pointed out and recommendations were also made to remedy the situations, suggestions for further research work were equally made to find out more information about this study area.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The family is the most fundamental unit of the society which started from creation when God created the first man and woman in a nuclear family relationship. The nuclear one man —one wife. Family has enlarged and has existed in various forms for thousands of years. Family is society’s primary social group, the foundation on which individuals have their beginnings and through which they experience the major portion of life. The family is also seen as group of people living intimately together as a unit, sharing life’s anticipations, disappointment, struggles and joys (Anyanwu 2012). They possess complex communication skills that connect unique individual as the family grows and develop cohesiveness. This is the traditional family.
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Contemporary society generally views family as a haven from the world that is a place of refuge from the hustle and bustle of the harsh world outside the family, supplying absolute fulfillment. The family encourages intimacy, love and trust which are the basic tools for finding refuge and escape from the competition and stress from dehumanizing forces in modern society. It is a place where warmth, tenderness and understanding can be expected from a loving mother, and protection from the world can be expected from the father. The effects of family stability is very paramount as it brings mutual understanding among couples, sharpen their behaviour etiquette and manner, the family will then have free flow of communication among themselves and social interaction, interpersonal relationship and love will reign in their home.
Family is a social group comprising the married couple, their offsprings and immediate kith and kin-brothers and sisters, of the bride, groom and their parents, relatives, in-laws and any other dependents (Nwobi, 1997). This definition implies that family in Nigerian traditional setting is that of an extended relationship.
Family, from biological point of view has been broadly defined as “those persons who are biologically and/or psychologically related, whom, historical, emotional or economic bonds connect and who perceive themselves as part of a house hold (Gladding, 2008:7). This all embracing definition indicates that members of a family not only see themselves as biologically related, but are also an entity that is historically and psychologically bonded. In other words, when a member of a family has problem other members of the family invariably become affected directly or indirectly. Ugorji (2004) succinctly indicated that strong tie among family members and intensity of the emotional affection for one another to an extent, influences the life long moral, socio- political, intellectual and personality development of family members.
Family is a fundamental social group in the society made up of a man and woman, and their children, or a group of persons sharing a common ancestry or having all the members living under one roof (Lasicle, Mary, Olunsanmu & Oniye, 2008). Family has also been defined as the primary institution that socializes, and protects the behaviours of the young (Okorodudu, 2010) in other words, it is the role of the family to see that the child is nurtured and shielded from all forms of physical, mental, and social attacks that could be detrimental to the growth and development of the child, in essence, family is responsible for building the psychosocial, moral and spiritual foundations as well as the over all development of the child in the society.
Sociologically, family is seen as a social group existing in all societies for regulating behaviours in order to achieve desirable character (Amadu, 1991). Family is fundamental social group existing in all society for regulating behaviours in order to achieve desirable character (Amadu, 1991). It is also seen as an institution and a unit of socialization. This unit of socialization is identified through various sociological perspectives, particularly with regards to the relationship between the nuclear family and industrial capitalism and the different gender roles and concepts of childhood which arose with it.
Sociological studies of the family look at: demographic characteristic of the family members, family size, age, ethnicity and gender of its members, the education level of the family members, class of the family, the economic level and mobility of the family, profession of its members, and what spheres of life are important in and to the family unit. The effect of social changes on the family, the interaction of the family with other social organization and diversity of the family forms in contemporary societies in relation to ideology, gender differences and state policies such as those concerned with marriage. Further it shows interaction between family members within the family, How they work together/rely on the work of some one in the family. Example of specific issues looked at include: changing roles of the family members, each members is restricted by the sex roles of the traditional family. These roles such as the father as the worker and the mother as the homemaker are declining. The mother is becoming the supplementary provider and she retains the responsibilities of the child rearing. Therefore the female’s role in the labour force is “computable with the demands of the traditional family”.
Family is a social system with biologically related individuals who are inclined to the development of psychological and sociological wellbeing of the family members and the sustenance of the family structure through inter and intra relationship existing among the family members (Eze, 2012).
Conventionally family is considered to be of two basic types-the nuclear or conjugal, and the extended family or what Meziobi and Opera (2007) described as compound/composite/ consanguine family. Nuclear family comprises the husband, wife or wives and their children. The composition of Nuclear family is of two forms namely, the family of orientation (the family, which one is born into) and the family of procreation which ensues through marriage. A common feature of the family unit is that the members are biologically related.
Extended family on the on other hand, is a family unit involving cluster of several persons such as husbands, wives, children brothers sister, uncles aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces. According to Mezieobi and Opera (2007) extend family is a federation of related nuclear families which are actually linked by blood and marital affiliation, this type of family can arise through three ways such as, a nuclear family having one or more relatives living together in a compound under the leadership of the eldest male and a large Cluster of family members including fathers, mother, children, brother sister, uncles, cousins, aunts among others.
From the foregoing definitions of family, the researcher defines a family as a social system with biologically related individuals who are inclined to the development of psychological and sociological well being of family members and the sustenance of family structure through inter and intra relationship existing among the family members, furthermore the existing relationship among the family members help them share responsibilities.
Family stability is referred to a family that has a good marriage relationship where the married couples love one another, think alike, share common goals, interest, joy and work out problems together (Eze, 2012). The married couples are really good friends, able to talk to one another. When a family is coping with issues related to in-laws, family finance, providing family needs, doing their domestic chores, interpersonal communication, sexual relationship, emotional adjustment, health problems among others, there will be family stability. A successful marriage is a happy one in which individuals can find satisfaction. That is, a situation, where both partners are satisfied and there is absence of disturbance.
Conversely an unstable family, is a family where family members are facing problems such as in-law, finance, infidelity in sexual relationship social interaction, communication and insecurity (Anyanwu, 2012). When husband and wife cannot communicate, care, give fair treatment in love, non provision of family needs, interpersonal relationship, sexual satisfaction, predisposes a family to instability and both spouses develop a strong inward thirst for their unmet needs (Eze, 2012). To the researcher family stability in this study is a situation where there is mutual understanding, love, care, fair treatment, fidelity and where the married couples enjoy family bliss. A family can be united where the couple develops a spirit of tolerance, love and consideration. In the absence of these, there is much tension which may lead to family instability, that will need the intervention of the family counselor.
Family stability is the bane to societal peace and harmony. This is because when the home, which forms the nucleus of the larger society, is unstable, it has a negative multiplier effect on the society. Instability occurs when any member of the family fails to perform his or her roles; consequently the instability leads to the break up of the family unity. The cause of family instability could be husband or wife’s faults, a good number of families are unstable due to infidelity, inability of the married couple to understand themselves and their respective positions and roles in the home. Adolescent marriage is much less stable than adult marriage. Support this view, Sotonade (2005) opined that the best age for man to marry is 26 years and above while the girls should marry between ages of 18 and 25 years of age.
Other causes of marital instability include communication, good communication is essential for maintaining an intimate relationship and stable family life. Okorodudu (2010) defined marital communication as the process of sending and receiving messages between husband and wife as they interact in marriage. In a similar vein Akpan (2000) defined communication as the transmission of information from husband to wife, and vice versa. The promotion of good communication in family and marriage life is a major solution to many cases of marital discord in the society. Through good communication process couples try to resolve their conflicts and live a healthy family life. Akpan (2000) opined that effective marital communication is the life wire that have husband and wife together, strengthen the bond of relationship and so pervades home. The atmosphere of peace in the home is largely dictated by the communication patterns adopted by the couples and other members of the family. Appropriate communication is a vital tool for couples to maintain a stable family, there is a need for family members to interact freely with one another. Marital communication in this context is the process of exchanging information between the husband, wife and other members of the family.
Counselling is a learning oriented process carried on in face to face relationship or in groups whereby a professionally trained counsellor uses his skill and knowledge to assist individual and families to resolve their problems. Counselling is of paramount importance in a given society. Okeke (2003) defined counselling as a helping relationship involving the counselor and the client in which the counsellor uses his professional knowledge and skill to assist the client attain proper development and maturity, improved functioning and ability to cope with life’s problems. Olayinka (1993) indicates that counselling is a process in which one person (the counsellor) assists another (the counselee) in a person to person or face to face encounter in areas of education, vocational, social, recreational, emotional or moral concerns. The researcher conceives and defined counselling as an interpersonal relationship between a professionally trained individual (counsellor) and a troubled individual or (counselee) whereby the former utilizes his professional skills to help the later to be able to solve his educational, vocational, and personal, social problems as well as acquire skills necessary for the management of problem that cannot be totally solved (Eze, 2012).
Counselling is an interpersonal relationship based on trust and confidence between the counsellor and the counselee. The outcome of this relationship helps in bringing about a positive change in behaviour of the counselee so that he can live a productive and self satisfying life, have a better understanding of self and the world of work, acquire wide field of knowledge in educational, vocational, personal social, marriage, family and communication matters as well as achieve adjustment and fulfillment in major decisions of life.
Essentially, counselling can be said to be the pivot of guidance programme, it is a relationship characterized by mutual respect effective communication, genuine and unconditional positive regard by the counsellor to the counselee. Such a relationship in essence helps in facilitating growth and positive change in counselee towards becoming freely and fully functioning individuals.
A family structure with composition of individuals of different personality types and behavioural idiosyncrasies, regularly encounter problems and challenges irrespective of the inherent existence of the functional roles of socializing, protecting and developing of the members to becoming a united body. The fact that families are prone to experiencing problems and challenges is a concern which makes it imperative to have family counsellor who can through their professional skills be able to proffer family counseling interventions or solutions towards the resolutions of family problems.
