INFLUENCE OF FAMILY STRUCTURE ON PARENTAL PRACTICES AND ACADEMIC ORIENTATION OF IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN ANAMBRA STATE

SOURCE:

Faculty: Education
Department: Guidance And Counselling

CONTRIBUTORS:

Anazodo, C. E.
Ebenebe, R.C.

ABSTRACT:

Academic Orientation is a major factor that propels the academic pursuits and eventual learning outcomes attained by schooling adolescent. While some students pursue gaining mastery and acquisition of competences in their chosen subjects, others have as their focus and pre-occupation, the acquisition of good grades and certificates no matter how. The purpose of this study therefore was to determine the influence of family structure on parental practices and academic orientation of in-school adolescents in Anambra State. Three research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The sample size was 900 students, selected through multi-stage sampling procedure involved: purposive sampling to select three schools from each zone and use of a table of random number to select 75 SS II studetns from each school. The instrument was subjected to face and content validation by three experts in the faculty. Cronbach alpha method was used to determine internal consistency of the instrument. Instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled Family Structure on Parental Practices and Academic Orientation (FSPPAO). FSPPAO has three sections: Section A, focused on demographic data, Section B has 24 items on parental practices and Section C has 20 items on Academic Orientation. Ex-post facto design was adopted. Frequency, Percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Hypotheses 1 and 2 were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The major findings showed that family structure had influence on parental practices and academic orientation of in-school adolescents. While the predominant academic orientation of in-school adolescents from intact families was mastery goal oriented, that of in-school adolescents from single and step parent families was performance goal orientation. Also there were significant differences in the mastery and performance goal orientation of in-school adolescents under intact, single and step parent family structure respectively. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that family counsellors should organize talks in various communities to educate parents on the long term influence of family structure on parental practices and academic orientation on their children. They can on that pedestal provide interventions and therapies for students who have performance goal orientation through negative parenting.

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