CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE SUDY
The role that parents play in the upbringing of a child is very important. Children look up-to their parents for guidance, protection and motivation to live a great life. One of the best ways to achieve wholesome qualities of education is the partnership of parents and teachers in injecting valuable skills, conduct, and knowledge to the students (Dautscher & Ibe, 2003). Academics are one of the most important aspects of a student’s life, with good grades, students are able to get into colleges and universities, and allow them to earn degrees in order to obtain jobs that they want. If the relationship between the student’s parents is unstable and filled with conflict, this can alter the student’s academic performance. (Afifi, 2013; Brown, 2012; Overland, 2012). Udansky and Wolf (2008) identified single parenting as a major problem on the rise. Parent separations is a common phenomenon in the community today, but still represent a major life stressor for the individuals involved, with potentially strong negative consequences for the mental and physical health of all members of the family. The eect of separation on child academic performance has been the subject of research attention for several decades, and has long been viewed as the cause of a range of serious and enduring behavioural and emotional problems in children and adolescents (Kelly & Emery, 2003). Park and Kim (2003) argued that the mother traditionally’ play substantial role in the care of the family. The mothers’ cares for them, listens to their problems and provide solutions. Mothers are very important in ensuring a happy childhood and meaningfully adult life for their children.
The parent child relationship studies indicate that a father can contribute uniquely to the development of the child independently of the mother’s contribution. However, when issues on factors such as emotional, intelligence, self-esteem, competence and confidence come up, the father cannot be replaced easily by the mother (Park and Kim 2003). Forman and Davies (2003) maintained that at adolescence, the individual is getting developed psychologically to cope and bear with stress and tensions which they are faced with. A child biological temperament plays a vital role in the eruption and resolution of separation (Davies 2003). According to Ekundayo & Oyeniyi (2008) and Adebule (2012), the society is tackling with many behaviour problems of the adolescent students, which include truancy, disobedience, drug addiction, smoking, flirting, stealing, armed robbery, examination malpractice, cultism, thugery, sexual abuse, sex activities, indiscriminate sex, homosexual (gay and lesbianism) as part of behaviour problems prevalent among students (Omotosho, Adeniyi and Bada 2010). Udansky and Wolf (2008) identified single parenting as a major problem on the rise.
Parent separations is a common phenomenon in the community today, but still represent a major life stress or for the individuals involved, with potentially strong negative consequences for the mental and physical health of all members of the family. The eect of separation on child academic performance has been the subject of research attention for several decades, and has long been viewed as the cause of a range of serious and enduring behavioural and emotional problems in children and adolescents (Kelly & Emery, 2003). A child biological temperament plays a vital role in the eruption and resolution of separation (Davies 2003). According to Ekundayo & Oyeniyi (2008) and Adebule (2012), the society is tackling with many behavior problems of the adolescent students, which include truancy, disobedience, drug addiction, smoking, flirting, stealing, armed robbery, examination malpractice, cultism, sexual abuse, sex activities, indiscriminate sex, homosexual (gay and lesbianism) as part of behavior problems prevalent among students (Omotosho, Adeniyi and Bada 2010). The issue of parental separation is an increasing social problem that has become a topic for discussion in recent times; it is traumatic for those who experience it. Those affected may experience grief, embarrassment, resentment, disappointment, intense anger and divided loyalty. Adebowale (2006) in a study on the social behavior of adolescents as it affects their moral behavior observed that the type of home which the adolescent comes from, determine to a considerable extent, the type of attitude which he will develop to exhibit and his academic performance. Parental separation has a long and lasting impact on lives of any student. The state of the home or the marital status of adolescent parents speaks volume about the life of the child. Separated homes have been found as a crucial factor causing antisocial problems poor academic performances among secondary school adolescence. Olusola (2008) believed that the highest incidence of adolescents whose parents are living separately may become way-ward, unruly, or take to sexual misconduct as a way of searching for affection which was lacking in their unhappy parental home. Many researchers have shown that immoral behavior and poor academic performance are prevalent among adolescents who are from unstable or separated family, with less adequate parental training on their moral and social attitudes (William, 2002). This study intends to assess parent separation on the academic performance of adolescent students.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The issue of parental separation is an increasing social problem that has become a topic for discussion in recent times; it is traumatic for those who experience it. Those aected may experience grief, embarrassment, resentment, disappointment, intense anger and divided loyalty. Children need a secure emotional base aer their parents separate, exactly as they needed before (McIntosh, 2005). The major protective factors that facilitate children’s adjustment to divorce are low inter-parental conflict, eective and constructive resolution of conflict between the parents, the quality of the parent-child relationship, nurturing, authoritative parenting from at least one parent, and cooperative co-parenting with good communication (McIntosh, 2003). It is these family processes that contribute to determining children’s academic performance, well-being and ‘outcomes’, rather than family structures per se (such as the number, gender, sexuality and co-habitation status of parents) Kelly (2000). Single parenthood may arise when either the male or female decides to produce and rear a child or children outside; parents can help make a smooth transition for their children during a divorce (Wolf 2008). Parents can present a reliable and cooperative parenting style when providing their children with discipline and behaviour expectations (Carlson and Hines, 2003). This study therefore intends to assess parent separation on the academic performance of secondary school students.
