Gender Differences in the Psycho-social Adjustment of Nigerian Single Parents
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
The main objective of the study was to assessing the effect of gender difference on the psychological adjustments of single parenting in Bayelsa Alibiri community area
The specific objectives of the study are to:
- To examine the causes and problem of single parenting in Bayelsa Alibiri community
- To assess the effect of gender difference on the psychological adjustments of single parenting in Bayelsa Alibiri community
- To ascertain the child’s care arrangements in single parent homes
- Recommend solutions to improve single parent homes in Bayelsa Alibiri community
CHAPTER TWO
Literature Review
Meaning of Single parenting
From these above research carried out on Single parenting Parents are the first point of contact of children. When both parents are present, it implies that the child would derive most care (Ortese, 1998). However, when one of the parent is absent in a child’s life, a gap is created as the child would lose the support that would have emanated from that parent. Ortese (1998) and Salami and Alawode (2000) have asserted that single parenting result from divorce, separation of various kinds, having children from wedlock or death of one spouse which leaves the roles in the hands of a single parent which will result to stress and load of paying fees and well been of the family, which now affect the attitude of the single parent. Home where a parent lives with dependent children, maybe alone or in a larger household, without a spouse or partner. Single-parenting can be defined as a situation in which one of the two individuals involved in the conception of the child is being responsible for the upbringing of the child. Hence, there is a terrific growth in the number of children of single parents. Single parenting is a major social problem on the rise among all communities Single parenting is implied as the taking of family’s task which includes caring for children devoid of the father’s or mother’s involvement. Single parenting is seen as the practice of training children and building a family with either the biological mother or father. Parenthood is difficult and demanding under the most excellent of condition. Child rearing practices are embedded in the culture and determine to a large extends the behavior and expectation surrounding the child birth and infancy. They also influence childhood, adolescence and the way this children parent as adult. Childbearing consist of practice which are grounded in cultural pattern and believes. Only one parent, the challenges are multiplied and stressfully. adding with childrearing for single parents becomes more intricate because of task burden, when one parent makes and takes all the responsibilities and provides for all of the family requirements; chore over-load, when the demands for work, housework, and parenting can be devastating for one individual; and emotional overload, when the single parent must for all time be accessible to meet both their own and their children’s emotional needs. Single-handedly or in combination these result in problems for the single parent, including loneliness, anxiety, and depression. And emotional overload, when the single parent must for all time be accessible to meet both their own and their children are emotional needs. Single-handedly or in combination these result in problems for the single parent, including loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
Causes of Single Parenting
Single parenting may crop up as a result of the following factors:
When a couple separates after cohabitation or a marriage and one of the ex-spouses has physical custody of the children. Again single parenting occurs when a woman gives birth to a child and does not live with the child’s father or any other partner, male or female. Thus single parenting resulting from non-conjugal births Single parenting may also occur when a father or a mother is widowed. In this case the parent assumes sole responsibility of nurturing a child. Further, it may happen when a single (divorced, never-married, or widowed) man or woman adopts a child. Single-parenthood may arise when either the male or the female decides to produce and rear a child or children outside wedlock (Ortese, 1998). Single parenting also occurs due to adoption which is a possible option for single people who feel deficient in life. Studies also show that Single parenting has become very common due to donor insemination which is the most contentious preference for building a family in the present day. Donor insemination is the process of accomplishing pregnancy through injection of semen into the reproductive tract of a female. Single mothers who choose to conceive children through this option are becoming common particularly among the educated women. Teenage pregnancy also leads to single parenting and raising a child alone during teenage period is harsh. Teen single parents undergo stresses because of young age and inability to prepare for the future.
CHAPTER THEE
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The study could be described as a survey research. The study would investigate the Alibiri communities of B ayelsa through selecting 50 samples of single parents to find out single parenting and the challenges confronting the children and the women. This envisaged cross-sectional survey strategy would help to generalize for the population, and allow inferences to be made about the whole population at one point in time.
Study Area
Alibiri which is a small community in Bayelsa, which is one big village, with market,so good roads area the local government area with some Administrative Districts of governing the community, is located on the southern part of the region, The rural areas are mostly found in the Plains portion of the Alibiri where Communities with less than fifty (50) people are scattered here and there.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Characteristics of the Respondents
The characteristics of the respondents in this study are showed in this section. Table 1 tells the age distribution of the respondents. Half (50%) of the respondents were between the ages of 31-40. The lowering of the percentage of single parents with age might be due to the fact that as people age they become more matured in handling family issue that are likely to cause single parents.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Conclusion
Looking at the Alibiri community from the research of the effect of gender difference on the psychological adjustments of single parenting, it can be concluded that due to the increased changes from the traditional ways of doing things, from time past, single parent are more in the increasing and now widespread among the Nigerians populace and single parenting affect the Childs growth and emotional state of mind also with single parent be it father or mother. The results of the study show that divorce is the major cause of single parent in and almost all the single parent cares for their children alone.
Recommendations
From the survey research on effect of gender difference on the psychological adjustments of single parenting n Alibiri community, focusing on the findings of this study, these are the recommendations. Single patenting tends to show up in a family if Parents don’t tolerate, accommodate, appreciate and understand each other in marriage. Forces of disunity should be ignored, de-emphasized. From many views about single patenting should have Proper counseling for both couples before they enter in marriage? Looking at two parents in a family, they should try to stay together for the sake of good upbringing of their children .issues should be solve in the home, the couples should try and see the counselor for a help and settle the troubles themselves harmoniously. There should be a social welfare system to help needy families through economic empowerment
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