The Effect of Sociocultural and Economic Factor in Broken Homes and Childhood Development
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David SamThe Effect of Sociocultural and Economic Factor in Broken Homes and Childhood Development
Uploaded by
David SamThe Effect of Sociocultural and Economic Factor in
Broken Homes and Childhood Development
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The home is the primary institution for children, home as perceived by Abdulganiyu (1997),
Christe (2009), defined home as a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store
personal property. Haven defined the concept of home it is therefore important to define
family. The family can therefore be looked at as a social group characterized by common
resident, economic cooperation and production, when a child is born, the family is the first
primary group with which they come into contact. Transmission of social values or rights and
wrong, what is morally and religiously accepted or condemned by the family, it follows
therefore that by the time a child attained five to seven years of age he must have learnt what
are his rights, obligations and roles within the society. However, the background of a student
goes a long way to determine his/her individuality. As the child enter schools, he/she will
start manifesting different attitudes and expectations, in addition they may be of the same age
group, developed at different rates and so may be able to cope with the intellectual and social
task of the school in varying extent. However a home can either be stable or broken. A stable
home is one in which both parents (mother and father) live together with their children, while
a broken home is the one in which one or both of the parents are not living together with the
children. It is the level at which the home operates that determine the academic achievement
of students in school.
Broken home been it unstable can influence the achievement of students academically, also
children that have suffered from neglect or lack of love (in a broken homes) are known to be
psychologically imbalanced to face the realities of life when there is disunity in the family, or
a difference between a the middle and will be at disadvantage. According to Blackby (1999),
adequate research need to be conducted in this direction to ensure smooth transition of
children from early stages to adulthood.
The child homes and his family offer the best education since his parents serve as teachers,
the parents lay the foundation for the desired social, moral, emotional, spiritual and
intellectual well being of the child. The training received from home is of great importance in
his/her total personality for academic achievements as a students. It can also be observed that
the pattern of life in the home (stable or broken), the economic and social status of the family
in the community and many others conditions that give the home a distinctive character can
influence the achievement of students in school. Abdulganiyu (1997), added that research
have shown that children differs in various way as a result of variables of their home
background such as socio-economic status, parental attitude to school and child rearing
practices. These home background variables are also found to be positively related to
children’s academic achievement, more especially students that need care and love. Similarly
Giwa (1997), have investigated the factors within the students home background or family
that affect their performance in schools, variables such as socio-economic status, family size,
birth order, parental attitude, child rearing practices, parental absence or presence have been
found to affect social and intellectual learning experience of children in schools. This is so
because children are born with some psychological , emotional and intellectual needs such as
need for love and security, the need for new experience, the need for praise and recognition
and the need for responsibility, many of these needs are not offered to the children of broken
homes which will influence their performance in academics. The extent to which these needs
are met during the formative years of children between birth and the age of six or seven in the
extent to which they enter school well equipped or ready to deal with the social and
emotional aspects of schooling. Based on the observation above and in line with the
assumption that economic and social future of many children in most localities is being
undermined by cultural practices that promotes widespread divorce amongst couples and
brought unnecessary hardship to the growing children. It is pertinent at this juncture to point
out inspite of all the needs expressed as to be met by the students this research also has
intended to seek for how much students is affected in academic achievement, either as a
result of his home been stable or broken.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
In our society, children are sometimes exposed at an early age to all sort of dangers arising
from malnutrition, diseases and various temptation of surviving due to absence of one or both
of their parents. Students life in broken homes is observed to be associated with emotional
stress that can impair intellectual development, thereby giving way for such children to grow
up without being trained properly. However, absence of one or both parents deprives young
children of the stable love, care, security and total support they have been accustomed to and
tend to make children different in the eyes of the peer group. If children are asked where the
missing parent is or why they have a new parent to replace the missing parents, they become
embarrassed and ashamed. They may also feel quality and unwanted by the society, such
stressful situation leads to psychological, emotional and intellectual imbalance in growing
children. These subsequently result to quitting from school or poor academic achievement of
students. Hence it becomes necessary to investigate factors that causes broken homes with a
view to finding solution to the problems for psychological well being of growing children in
our society, and these lead us to look at the effect of broken homes on students education
particularly in Uyo Local Government Area of Aka Ibom State.
1.3 Research Questions
The undertaking of this research project will be guided by the following
research questions;
1. What is the effect of single parental care on the educational development of children raised in
broken homes?
2. Is single parental income level sufficient to meet the needs of children in non-intact homes?
3. What is the effect of parental educational status on the academic attainment of students raised
in broken homes?
4. What are the current challenges affecting children in broken homes?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of the study is to examine the socio-economic factors affecting children
in broken homes in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. The specific objectives are:
i.
To examine the effect of single parental care on the educational development of children
raised in broken homes.
ii. To find out if single parental income level is sufficient to meet the needs of children in non-
intact homes.
iii. To assess the effect of parental educational status on the academic attainment of students
raised in broken homes.
iv. To identify the current challenges affecting children in broken homes.
1.5 Research Hypotheses
