Effects of Marital Problems on the Education of Child Education in Mubi North LGA of Adamawa State
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The objectives were to:
- Examine primary school teachers’ perceptions on the effects marital problems on children’s education.
- Explore the perception of children in marital problems and the effects of their status on their education
- Explore community members’ views on their role in the effects of marital problems on pupils’ education.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Teachers’ Perceptions on the Effects of Marital problems to Children’s Education
Poor education is understood as falling below an expected standard. Aremu and Sokan (2003) submit that poor academic achievement is related to low motivational orientation, low self-esteem, emotional problems, poor study habits and poor interpersonal relationships. This chapter focuses on marital problems as being a factor that affects negatively the education of primary school students.
Biblarz (2000) conducted a study which compared education of children of marital problem with children of widowed mothers. Findings concluded that children of marital problemes were less likely to complete high school, attend college, or attend graduate school than children of widowed mothers. The McLanahan and Sandefur study of 1994 found that children from marital problemd homes were two times more likely to drop out of high school than children from two parent homes.
The longitudinal study conducted by Wallerstein determined negative correlation between marital problem and school attendance, academic achievement, attitude towards learning and the ability to concentrate (Wallerstein, 1980). The study found that education was not significantly related to the father or mother‘s socioeconomic level. Wallerstein concluded that the marital problem did not significantly alter school performance of the group as a group, but individual effects existed. Children of marital problemd marriages get very little support from adults. He further observed that, during this time, adult friends, relatives and teachers are hesitant to interfere.
Whitemarsh (2008) found that educators are often the first to notice a change in behavior when a family is in transition to being broken up Teachers have observed that some children from marital problemd families may show decreased functioning in education and display oppositional behavior, or signs of anxiety and depression.
According to smith (1999), some children are flexible and adapt well to change largely due to implementing effective coping strategies, while other children may react in the opposite way. Children may lose confidence, blame themselves for the break-up, and see their parent’s separation or marital problem in a complicated way. The range of feelings that a child may encounter include; disbelief and denial, sadness, loss, loneliness, depression, anger, anxiety, fear, relief and hope. Response to these feelings often results in different levels of intensity (Smith, 1999).
Effects of Marital problems on School Going Children
Reaction of children to marital problems may be influenced by remarriage of custodial parent. According to Zinsmeister (1996), remarriage of parents can add to, rather than subtract from, the stress of a child. Marital problem makes children unsafe, uncertain of the future or makes children feel that the future is bleak and they become helpless because they fear that something bad could happen to them (Wallerstein & Blakeslee, 2003). Some children perform better in school as an attempt to shut out problems at home (Lansky, 2000).
In contrast, other children may intentionally allow grades to slip in an attempt to gain attention from both parents (Richmond, 1998). Children living with newly marital problemd mothers are more likely to be late for school and are less likely to have a help in their homework (Hetherington, 2002).
Amato conducted a quantitative meta-analysis in an effort to bring order to find the relationship between marital problem and academic achievement. The results relating to academic achievement showed statistical significance in lower academic achievement in children of marital problem when compared to children from continuously married parents (Amato, 1991).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
A research design is an arrangement of condition for collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance of the research purpose with economy in procedures (Settz, 1965) cited in Kothari (1990). The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research approach. Qualitative design helps to study the narratives on the effects of marital problems on children’s education from teachers, community members and children themselves. Qualitative design enabled the researcher to make sense of those perceptions by interpreting the meanings the respondents attached to marital problems.
The design is suitable in the collection of data about people’s opinions and views on effect of broken families. In this study, the researcher looked at what teachers, community members and children say about the effects of marital problems on children’s education. The quantitative approach allowed determination of the distribution of incidents and the inter-relation between independent and dependent variables (Kerlinger, 1986).
Independent variables are those attributes that have an effect in the dependent variables. In the context of this study, the independent variable is the number of marital problems while dependant variable is the extent of the effects on children’s education.
Area of Study
The area of study was conducted in Mubi North LGA, Adamawa state. Mubi North LGA was chosen because of its relatively low rates of student’s school participation compared with other cities in Nigeria.
Population, Sample And Sampling Techniques
Fraenkel and Wallen (2000) define population as an arrangement of people or things that a researcher has in mind from which one can obtain information and draw conclusion. In this study, the population will include some primary school students, community members and teachers.
Target Population
According to Ary, Jacobo & Razariel (1996) target population includes all members of any defined class of people, events or object from which possible information about the study can be obtained. The target population of this
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Characteristics of the Respondents
Sex of Respondents
The Table 4.1 shows the number of respondents with respect to their sex. According to the results it was revealed that majority of respondents 120(60%) were females and the remaining 80(40%) were males. This implies that gender was considered in selecting respondents so as to get consistent information regarding marital problems from both sexes.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of Findings
This study sought to investigate the perceptions of teachers, children and the community members on the effects that marital problems have on children’s education. Specifically the study sought to:
- Examine primary school teachers’ perceptions on the effects marital problems on children’s education.
- Explore the perception of children in marital problems and the effects of their status on their education.
- Explore community members’ views on their role in the effects of marital problems on pupils’ education.
Chapter 1 concentrated on exploration of the concept of marital problems and its effects on children. Chapter 2 dwelt more on the literatures and studies on the effects of marital problems on children’s education. It also reviewed the literature on the perceptions of children on the effects of marital problems on their life and the role of community in minimizing the effects of marital problems on children. Chapter 3, research methodology presented the research design for this study. This is mixed method design where quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Chapter 4 is confined in data presentation and analysis.
The following findings were revealed by this study:
There are two opposing sides on the negative effect of marital problems on children’s education. These opposing sides could be explained as an influence of the media, the church and the school, which see marriage as a norm, where two parents are supposed to live together and rear their children and broken one are going against the norm. Literature consistently shows that marital problems has negative effects on children’s growth physically and psychologically but it is silent on positive effects of marital problems on children’s development. Although there are those who believe a marital problems is better than exposing children to adult violence, they also believe that marriage is a good thing for nurturing the family, regardless of other gender-based exploitation. Children who have experienced violence feel better when the marriage eventually is broken, but they suffer negative identification as developing bad manners due to lack of one figure, father or mother.
These findings have further shown that community members perceive themselves as with a role to ensure the welfare of the children from marital problems although this role vary. There were those who felt they are responsible because they are Africans, and those who thought they have a role to play because of religious teachings. This concurs with the literature reviewed in chapter two as well as other literature referred to in chapter five under discussion. It was also noted that children were not informed by their parents on the prospects of separation.
Based on these findings, however, it cannot be confirmed with certainty that children from broken homes are worse off than those from intact marriage because some may be experiencing violence, which has more negative effect than living peacefully with one parent. All in all, parents need to ensure the safety of their children whether they are in marriage or outside of it for a simple reason that children need to be brought up in peaceful environment if we want to have an upright future generation.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Action
On the bases of the results obtained in the research and the literature reviewed, the following are recommended.
- The community members including teachers, neighbors and all children lovers should make it their responsibility for all the children regardless of being their biological
- Schools at all levels should have a strong guidance and counseling unit to help all the children in need of special
- The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) in collaboration with Universities and religious organizations should work together and develop training programme on love, marriage and care for parents in order to educate the society on the importance of love and family care for healthy families, communities and society in
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