IMPACT OF BROKEN HOME ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND

PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL

STUDENTS
 ABSTRACT

This study examined the impact of broken homes on academic

performance and psychosocial adjustment of secondary school students

in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. The descriptive survey

design was used in this study. The research instrument used for this

study was a questionnaire tagged (BHAP) which was adapted by the

researcher. The population of this study covered the teachers in

selected secondary schools at Kosofe Local Government, area Lagos

State where data was collected using simple random sampling. Collected

data was analyzed using chi-square and descriptive statistics.

Demographic data such as gender, age, and qualification were used.

Findings showed that broken homes have significance on student’s

academic performance. It was concluded that there is a significance

difference between students from broken homes and students from

intact homes. It was therefore recommended parents should be

educated on the importance of living together and the negative effect of

broken home on the academic, social and emotional state of the child.
1.0   INTRODUCTION 

1.1        Background of the study

1.2        Statement of problem

1.3        Objective of the study

1.4        Research Hypotheses

1.5        Significance of the study

1.6        Scope and limitation of the study

1.7 Definition of terms

1.8 Organization of the study

CHAPETR TWO
2.0   LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPETR THREE

3.0        Research methodology

3.1    sources of data collection

3.3        Population of the study

3.4        Sampling and sampling distribution

3.5        Validation of research instrument

3.6        Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Introductions

4.2 Data analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion

5.4 Recommendation

Appendix
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Family is the basic unit of a society and it’s the most important

component of the society. According to Alfred Adlers (1973), a family

which parent are separated or divorced would affect the individual

because every child has a problem in which both the mother and father

are to attend to, for example the mother is supposed to teach the child

some moral attitudes or behavior while the father is supposed to teach

the child (son) how to be a responsible man and to be responsible for

the society and to be able to overcome the individual psychological

problems like problems of work, problem of friendship, problem of love.

It may be alternated to the word “house” but a house is more

appropriately referring to the material structure whereas home refers to

the intangible things that bind together the family members. It has the

immeasurable love and care that keeps together the mother, father and

their children. The family is an essential factor for a human well-being,

everything about a man, his background, attitude, all his achievements,

his honour and dignity, rallies on the structure of the man’s family.

Marriage on the other hand can be seen or viewed at as a legal union of

two people i.e. a man and woman in love as husband and wife. In

Nigeria marriage is regarded as an institution which every person gives

much importance.

Umahi, (2009) states that, marriage is a system by which a society

recognizes a man and a woman bounded by love to stay together as

couples, have a sexual relationship and expect children which they will

bring up together. In Nigeria when a person is married he or he is

expected not only to have children but also to give them the

psychological emotional, moral and economic support with adequate

education which will be of help to them in future. Couples have the duty

to give their children education which will enable them live happily, be

stable emotionally, and acquire worthwhile knowledge, understanding

and skills.

Egbo (2012), views broken home as a place where the parents engage

themselves in quarreling, fighting suspecting, keeping late hours to the

detriment of the children’s primary drive for food, sleep and other basic

needs. Broken homes could be due to divorce, separation or death. If

there is no love, understanding and peace in the home children suffer

and pay severely for it. Those children may be defective behaviorally

and often they are not given worthwhile education training and skills

which in turn may have a carryover effect which is always detrimental to

the progress and stability of the society. Studies have shown that

divorce though frowned at is on the increase amongst our youths. Hake

(2000) lamented that after couples have made solemn and sacred

contracts before the public, friends well-wishers and family members as

their witness to be together till death put them apart, the same couples

fall victims to broken home within a short period in our modem society.

When a home is broken, affected in many ways for example are the

girls who may run into men in order to pay their school fees. Some of

them may get pregnant in the process which might which might warrant

them to quit schooling entirely (Okoye, 2001). Nwosu (1991) noted that

some girls take to prostitution in a bid to also pay their school fees

which may be difficult for their single parent. Boys also may give in to

robbery roistering in the school, joining criminal gangs and exhibiting all

form of social vices.

Empirical evidence has equally shown that children from intact-homes

will be well taken care of and better socialized life for example a child

with a good mother and father care whereby serves as a good model to

the child in which the child does not turn into a deviant and more also,

peer pressure challenges would be avoided through the supervision and

help of both parent. This is due to the fact that the process of

socialization depends on both parents playing complimentary roles in

raising such children; which will definitely impact positively on the later

during school years. On the other hand children from single parent

homes are likely to suffer deprivations and denials of some rights and

opportunities that will have negative psycho-socio impact on them in

school years. Studies have equally shown that children from broken

homes are usually associated with anti-social behaviours and poor

academic records.

Adolescence in simple terms is a distinct phase of life. From Literature it

is a period of 13-18 years of an individual’s life. It is a period of rapid

psychological and social expansion. Agubosi (2003) stated that it is the

era of peer grouping when the adolescents spend most time with their

age group. This stage is a period of storm and stresses (Bolarin 1999,
Olayinka 1997) and identifies formation (Osarenren 2001) Adolescence

is a transitory period between childhood and adulthood. During this

period an individual is seen neither as a child nor an adult. Hall in Salami

& Alawode (2000) claimed that adolescents are characterized by

emotional instabilities and hyperactivities, which cause them to

experience storms and stress. Erickson in Salami & Alawode (2000)

opined that identity formation creates tension in the adolescents to the

extent that some of them become confused about their personality.

The period of adolescence is very important to development of an

individual. Any laxity on the part of the parents in assisting and guiding

the adolescents may result in academic backwardness and development

of unwholesome behaviours. The foundation of what a person becomes

in the society is laid in the home and at the initial stage of life. Parents

therefore have important roles to play in seeing to it that the youths

acquire the appropriate social, psychological, moral and academic

development.

In Nigeria, the parental roles are culturally determined. Maternal role is

that of childcare and home making while the paternal role is that of

economic responsibilities and discipline of children. Generally, it is the

responsibility of the family, to train and bring up the child in the norms

and values of the society. They are to be responsible for the

psychological and emotional welfare of the child. The parents are mainly

responsible for the educational and career development of their

children. However, divorce and separation of various kinds or death of

one spouse may leave the role in the hands of a single parent. 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 Henslin (1985). The family lays the

foundation of education before the child goes to school and the

personality that the child takes to school is determined by the home

Maduewesi & Emenogu (1997). Fadeye (1985) in Salami & Alawode

(2000) pointed out that both parents have roles to in child education.

The father is to provide the necessary tools for the educational

advancement while the mother is supposed to supplement the father’s

efforts in this regard. When the father is absent and the mother is not

privileged enough to cater for all the basic needs as well as supervise

the academic performance of the child he/she (the child) will be

backward or withdrawn. The same thing occurs when the mother is

absent and the father is not privileged enough Ortese (1998).

A single parent faces doubled responsibilities requiring time, attention

and money of the parent. Hence, less attention is paid to the

psychological well-being and education of the child. Children from

single-parent homes are commonly described as more hostile,

aggressive, anxious, fearful, hyperactive and distractible than children

from intact families Nwachukwu (1998). The concept of adjustment is

associated with what may be called living systems: system of organs,

psychological systems or personality systems, In the process of

adjustment, forces are balanced naturally within the system with forces

originating from the environment. The immediate goals of the process

may be characterized generally as a type of equilibrium with the system

and in the interaction of the system with the environment. Generally,

adjustment refers to an individual’s general adaptation to his

environment aid the demands of life such as the way he relates to other

people that is interpersonal behaviour, handles his responsibilities, deal

with stress, for example inadequacy in learning, growing up and

meeting his own needs and life satisfactions.

Adjustment is not a one way process in which the individual conforms to

the duties and requirement of others but rather a two way process, for

it is the ability to be oneself, hold on to one’s own and make reality

adapt itself to one’s requirement and needs. It does not imply a state or

condition of contentment or pure mind. Since life is constantly changing,

the ability to revise ones attitude and behavior appropriately is essential

ingredient of adjustment. Psycho-social adjustment is easier when the

individual is educated & free from family conflicts. There are several

issues an individual needs to adjust to in life, academic, psychological,

social-life, marital life, job experience etc. For the adolescence academic

challenges & problem: from home are one of (he issues they may need

adjustment.

Secondary school students that are from broken homes are likely not to

perform well and are usually withdrawn, shy and anti-social among their

mates. The psychologists theorize that individual who is emotionally

healthy is the one who has learned to cope effectively with himself and

his environment since the environment is in a constant state of flux and

the adolescent is continuously developing and changing; psychological

effectiveness or good mental health is an ongoing process and not static

achievement. The term mental health is really a description of behavior.

If a person’s social and personal behavior appears to be reasonably well

integrated, he/she appears to be reasonably happy. If the society

approves of his/her behavior, his/her means of coping therefore, with

himself and his environment may be more effective. Thus he/she may

be psychologically healthy or well adjusted (Mickelson, 2001). This study

therefore seeks to highlight and enumerate the impact of broken home

on academic performance and psychosocial adjustment of secondary

school students in Kosofe Local Government.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There is a global awareness of the importance of the home environment

on student’s academic achievement. In Nigeria, most homes are not

intact as a result of incompatibility of the couples, death of a parent and

the quest for oversea trips to make more money, and at times marital

infidelity. This has resulted in the separation of couples and children. In

some states in the federation, this is quite clear that most young ladies

abandon their homes, and embark on oversea trips with a view to

making money. Also, some men who travel abroad, abandon their

homes and would not communicate with the families back-home, so,
children from such homes are in dilemma, especially in terms of

adjustment. Chador (2008) notes that the environment in which a

student comes from can greatly influence organization of the family and

by extension; effect a child’s emotion, personality and academic

achievement. Bearing in mind the role of the family, a child’s education,

the failure of the family to perform its duties could hinder the child’s

academic achievement. Any nation that is desirous of advancing

technologically will no doubt ensure that the future of her future leaders

(the adolescents) is well guided, protected and guaranteed.

Furthermore, a single parent faces doubled responsibilities requiring

time, attention and money. Hence, less attention is paid to the

education of the child. The teacher commonly describe children from

single parent homes as more hostel, aggressive, anxious, fearful,

hyperactive and distractive than children from intact family

(Nwachukwu, 1998). Children from broken home exhibit behaviours like

drug abuse, smoking, drunkenness, sexual abuse, truancy and

disrespect for elders at the detriment of themselves, their family and the

society as well.  
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of broken

home on the academic performance and psychological adjustment of

secondary school students in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos

State. The specific objectives hence are:

1. To determine the impact of broken homes on students’ academic

performance.

2. To establish if there exist any difference between students from

broken homes and their peers from intact homes in academic

performance.

3. To determine the impact of broken homes on student’s

psychological adjustment.

4. To ascertain the gender impact of broken home on students’

psychosocial adjustment

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

HYPOTHESES ONE

Ho: There is no significant impact of broken homes and students’

academic performance
Hi: There is significant impact of broken homes and students’ academic

performance

HYPOTHESES TWO

Ho: There is no significant impact of broken homes and students’

psychosocial adjustment

Hi: There is significant impact of broken homes and students’

psychosocial adjustment

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will assist teachers, counsellors, child psychologists and

administrators to have a better understanding of the factors that affect

secondary school students from broken homes in relationship with their

academic performance and psychosocial adjustment, so that they can

better appreciate the behaviours and attitudes of the children they teach

or counsel.

More also, children in broken homes would be limited due to the

awareness cut across by the impact of broken homes on children

psychosocial and academic performance. This knowledge will put them

in a good stead to help and add value to the life of these adolescents. It

is also hoped that the result of this study will help practitioners to
develop appropriate counselling techniques and programmes which if

implemented will decelerate the speed at which broken homes is

increasing; seeing that broken homes does not lend itself to the

balanced moral, emotional, physical, social and educational development

of children of such background.

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study will be carried out at Kosofe Local Government in Lagos

State, which is located in South West region of Nigeria in West Africa.

The study will be limited to Senior Secondary school students in selected

schools in Kosofe Local Government. The researcher encountered some

constraints, which limited the scope of the study. These constraints

include but are not limited to the following

a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material

available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance

wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic

activities and examinations with the study.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms used in the study, have been operationally defined:

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: This is how pupils are ranked in terms of

educational achievement.

FAMILY: It is a social unit made up of people related to each other by

blood, birth or marriage.

ADJUSTMENT: A small alteration or movement made to achieve a

desired fit, appearance, or result.

IMPACT: This means to have a powerful effect on something or

someone. It can also refer to a force that drives someone into behaving

in a certain way.

ADOLESCENCE: The transitional period between puberty and

adulthood in human development, extending mainly over the teen years

and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached.

BROKEN HOME: A family in which the parents are divorced or

separated. Psychosocial adjustment can be defined as the adaptive task

of managing upsetting feelings and frustrations and preserving an

emotional balance.
MARRIAGE: Marriage is the approved social pattern whereby two

people establish a family. In another point of view, marriage is a legally

and socially sanctioned union between a man and a woman that is

regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs and attitude that prescribe the

rights and duties of the parents.

NUCLEAR FAMILY: The nuclear family is a small unit consisting of a

man, his wife and unmarried children. In the nuclear household the

parents are sole authorities and emotional relations among family

members are concentrated and intense.

INTACT FAMILIES: Refer to families in which both biological parents

are present in the home

A HOME: The place where one lives permanently, especially as a

member of a family or household.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: This could be seen as students reporting

of past semester CGPA/GPA and their expected GPA for the current

semester

PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT: This is the psychological and social

aspect of a child’s behavior which has been affected by his/her

environment
GENDER: This is the differentiation between male creatures from

female ones biologically. 

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding,

as follows

Chapter one is concerned with the introduction, which consist of the

(overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem,

objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study,

scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical

background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical

framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related

literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology

adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection

and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary,

conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

 CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter reviews the literature on impact of broken homes on

academic performance and psychosocial adjustment of secondary school

students. It discusses issues relating to the topic of discuss as viewed

from different perspectives, with a view of giving a theoretical and

empirical foundation to the study.

2.2 LITERATURE

Parents who have happy and supportive relationship with one another

are more likely to respond sensitively to the child’s needs (Erel &

Burman, 1995). Conversely, parents in a dysfunctional marriage are

likely to be distressed and distracted by conflicts with their spouse and

they cannot afford to invest their time and energy in children. In turn,

inappropriate parenting style worsens parent-child relations. This

literature review focused in teacher’s perceptions on the effects of

broken marriage to children’s academic performance, effects of broken

marriage on school going children, perceptions of children with single

parent, academic achievement among adolescents of divorced families,

comparisons of children from divorced and two parent families and

factors affecting the children’s academic performance and socialization

processes in the family. Parents in a stressful marriage are less likely to

have close relationships with their children, whereas parents who are

satisfied with their marriage are more likely to have quality relationships

with their offspring (Acock & Demo, 1999; Buehler & Gerald, 2002;

Conger et al.,1992). A low level conflict with parents and closeness to

them are associated with less likelihood of having behavioral and

emotional problems (Caughlin & Malis, 2004; Parker & Benson, 2004;

Vandewater & Lansford, 2005). Among various aspects of parent-child

relations, communication is specifically important in adolescence when

children have to negotiate their new roles with their parents (Noh,

1999). Children who witness parents’ conflicts may shape a negative

perception on self, because they tend to consider themselves as causes

of conflicts and blame themselves for a disharmonious marital

relationship (Grych et al., 2000). Family disruption has been defined in

various ways, including recurrent residential moves, separations from

parent figure and marital dissolution or divorce (Adam & Chase-

Lansdale, 2002). In Rodman (1993), an early family study, disruption

was defined by characteristics such as female head of household, low

socioeconomic status, receiving aid for dependent children, and parental

separation. Other researchers studying longitudinal samples (Chilton &

Markle, 1972) defined family disruption only by a family composition

different from husband-wife families; mother only, father only, and

neither biological parent .In reviewing the literature through the late

1980s, Lee and Gotlib (1991) found that children’s adjustment to family

disruption was related to diminish parental availability or poor parental

responsibility to the child. Anderson, (2002) found that adolescents from

single parent families were involved in higher rates of delinquent

behavior and that minorities from single parent families were especially

more likely to be involved in certain types of delinquency than other

students. Because of the need to expand the study of family dysfunction

and academic achievement, as well as the established relationship

between family dysfunction and child behavior problems in some

studies, and between behavior problems and poor academic functioning

in other studies, the literature described next addresses behavior,

achievement, and family disruption

2.3 BROKEN HOMES

Haven define the concept of home, Aremu (2011), perceived broken

home as the integral part of the setting that is father and mother

whereby if any of the integral part is not available, the home is then

said to be broken which in one way or the other affect members of the

home negatively. Marriage unionism is not always a stable one, couples

usually indulge in quarrels, fighting etc which consequently result into

separation or termination of the marriage union, it is in view of this that

Hauwa et – al (2005), observed that homes are usually broken up by

death and increasingly by divorce, abandonment or involuntary

separation as result job demand or other obligations. Hauwa, however

outlined factors that causes divorce among couples to varies, depending

on the locality, culture and nature of the home. In most localities in

sokoto state, the major causes of divorce among couples include forced

marriages, child marriage (early marriage), ignorance of the right of

spouses under shari’ah, instigation from parents and friends, failure to

uphold marital obligations, lack of proper upbringing from childhood,

difficulty of earning a living (economic hardship) and many more to

mentioned but few.

2.4 EFFECTS OF BROKEN MARRIAGE ON SCHOOL GOING

CHILDREN

Reaction of children to parental divorce 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. Divorce 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 divorced 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 divorce and academic

achievement. The results relating to academic achievement showed

statistical significance in lower academic achievement in children of

divorce when compared to children from continuously married parents

(Amato, 1991). Amato recently updated the meta-analysis to include

studies performed in the past decades. The findings show that when

compared with children from continuously married parents, 25 children

with divorced parents continue to score significantly lower on measures

of academic achievement as well as in the areas of conduct,

psychological adjustment and social relations (Amato, 1991). Although

divorce is a major loss to children, however, not all children react the

same way to their parents’ divorce (Wade & Tavris, 1993). Each child’s

reaction depends on how she/he perceives it (Clandos & Kemp, 2007) or

the different personal or familial circumstances before or after the

divorce (Clando & Kemp, 2007). While some children react with anger,

fear or tremendous grief, others are happy or indifferent. Some children

feel shame and hide the news of their parents’ divorce from their friends

or pretend that it is not happening; other children react by feeling

relieved especially if there has been intense fighting in their homes

(Clandos & Kemp, 2007) There have been numerous studies (Dykeman,

2003; Wallerstain, 2005), that have documented the impact of divorce

to children. Sun cited in ValderValk et al., (2005) found children of

divorced parents may have a lower sense of psychological wellbeing

than children who grew up with intact families. Research also confirms

that children of divorced parents may experience emotional problems

such as loneliness and depression (Asetline & VanderValk, 2005).

Studies comparing the school records of children from single-parent and

two-parent families have found that children raised in single–parent

home have an increased risk of poor academic achievement (Mitchell,

1986). The effects of broken homes on students depend on many

factors, the most important of which are the causes of the broken

homes when it occurs, and it is either temporary or permanent. When

there is a break in the home as result of death and children realize that,

the parent will never return, mourn the loss and transfer their affection

to the remaining parent, hoping in this way to regain the security they

formally had. By so doing one will find the students forgetting that they

had other things to attend to like their academics and as a science

student there is need for determination and commitment to the

classroom activities and laboratory practices, but a child who happen to

have a parent pre occupied with grief and practical problems of a

broken homes give rise to children that feel rebuffed and unwanted.

This will, however, result to resentment that can seriously cause

damage or affect the child’s intellectual potentialities required from

him/her as science student and that could deter his/her academic

achievement in classroom and elsewhere. However, Hauwa et al.

(2005), observed that the loss of the mother in early life is more

damaging to a child than loss of father. She stated the reason for this to

be that the care of young children must - under the circumstances, be

turned over to relatives or paid housekeepers whose child training

techniques may differ from those used by mothers and who rarely can

give children the attention and affection they formally received from

their mothers. Therefore, a science students brought up under this

condition may likely fall victim of missing the love and care of the

mother which thereafter affect him/her in the later life of the science

students achievement when it comes to classroom or practical aspect of

science. Nevertheless, Hauwa et al. (2005), observed that as children

grow older, loss of the father is often more serious than loss of mother,
especially for boys. The mother may have to go to work and with the

double burden of home making and outside work, the mother may lack

the time and energy to give children the care they need, consequently

they feel neglected and become resentful, if mother are unable to

provide the recreational opportunities and status symbols children’s

peers have, this will add to their resentment. Science students in this

case may lack a lot of fatherly advice on their carrier choice in science

as a science student compare to those from a stable home or whose

father is alive. For older boys, loss of the father means that they have

no source of identification as compared to their friends, and they resent

petticoat rule in the home as they do in school. A home broken by death

in such a way that both parent were loss at the same time, the effect

are doubly serious beside having to make the radical changes in the

pattern of their lives, children will have to adjust to the care of another

person, often a person unknown to them, and by so doing the students

will have to face so many challenges in his/her academic achievement.

Balikisu et al. (2005) perceived a home to be broken by divorce; such

homes can be more damaging to students. She supported her point by

two reasons – namely: the period of adjustment to the divorce is longer

and more difficult for children than the period of adjustment to death of

a parent, as children pass through series of adjustment like denial of

divorce, anger which strikes out at those involved in the situation,

bargaining in an attempt to bring the parent back together and

depression all which must have gone a long way in determining the

academic achievement of the student who need time to make good use

of his brain to think logically as a student. Secondly, broken homes

caused by divorce are serious because they tend to make children

different in the eyes of the peer group. When enquiry is made about the

missing parent is or why they have another to replace the missing

parent, they become embarrassed and ashamed. Furthermore, they

may feel guilty if they enjoy the time they spend with the missing parent

or if they prefer living with the missing parent to living with the parent

who is taking care of them. However, Hurlock (2004), reported that

temporary absence could be damaging to children than permanent

break. He added that this mostly occurs when the mother or the father

is around for a relatively short time such as due to vacation, military

operation or due to hospitalization in the case of the mother Such

temporary breaks could be stressful for a child in science, though for

both parents and their children, could lead to deterioration in family

relationship. Therefore, failure of the family to adjust may hinder the

academic performances of science students from such a family

background, and a child from a family that happens to be otherwise

could also have challenges in his/her academic performance in science

subjects, that is to show that at this juncture his/her problem could be

social or emotional instability. Abdulganiyu (1997), added that research

has shown that children differ in various ways as a result of variables of

their home background such as socioeconomic 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 science students that need care and love.

Similarly, Lioyd Young, M. (1997), investigated the factors within the

students home background or family that affect their performance in

school. The variables are: 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 experiences 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 experiences, 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.

2.5 IMPACT OF BROKEN HOMES ON PSYCHOCOCIAL

ADJUSTMENT

Marriage is the socially acceptable union between a man and a woman.

It means the coming together of two totally different individuals as

husband and wife who agree to plan and set up their own family.

Osarenren (2002) viewed marriage as usually a union between an adult

male and an adult female. Marital conflicts come in different forms like

spouse battering, spousal abuse, sexual abuse, marital irresponsibility,

incest, rape, subtle struggle for control between the couple and other

abusive behaviours. There is concern about the rising rate of unresolved

marital conflicts, which often lead to marital instability, further leading

to divorce, desertion, single-parenthood and legal separation. Thus,

unresolved marital conflicts oftentimes lead to failed marriages. Marital

conflicts are often caused by childlessness, forced marriage,

incompatibility, communication gap, interference by in-laws, finances,

infidelity, sex of children, lack of appreciation etc. Therefore, when

marital conflicts occur regularly, it may have adverse effects on the

psycho-social adjustment of adolescents who are the products of such

marriages. Perhaps, it is in the light of the foregoing that Makinde

(2004) noted that marriage is an adventure because the two individuals

that have agreed to cohabit willingly, to take risks, test new ideas and

experience new situations and that no matter howlong the courtship will

be, neither can boast of having studied and known all about the

partner's idiosyncrasies. Hence, marriage provides an adventure

playground for couples and their ability to adjust paves the way to a

successful marriage. It is against this background that Osarenren (2002)

concludes that differences and difficulties are inevitable in marriages.

She contends that spouses usually work hard towards handling these

differences and difficulties but when some are not able to resolve the

differences and difficulties, their marriage fails. When marriages fail

divorce is the resultant effect. This obviously impacts greatly on the

children of the marriage leaving some of the children deeply traumatized

throughout life. Onyskiw and Hayduk (2001), states that marital conflict
between parents has an adverse effect on a child's adjustment. In their

review of studies related to juvenile delinquency, they found that family

quality, harmony, or climate have a stronger relationship with juvenile

delinquency than father absence per se. Related to this, they further

observed that discord and conflict in the two-parent home can be more

detrimental to the child than father absence in aone-parent home. Piers

(1969) investigated the difference between family structure and family

conflict in their effects onthe self-concepts of children found out that

children who perceive greater conflict in their families will have

significantly lower self- concepts. According to him, children are not

adversely affected by living in a single parent family, but that family

conflict and/or parental unhappiness can be detrimental, at least to self-

concept, which is also a measure of social and personal adjustment.

Furthermore, Formosa, Gonzales and Aiken (2000) reported that girls

from conflictual households exhibited lower levels of conduct problems

while boys in the same familial environment exhibited higher levels of

conduct problems. In fact, Krishnakumar and Buehler (2000), in a meta

analysis of 39 studies published over a 17-year period, reported

evidence to support the hypothesis that girls are the victims of more
aggressive and hostile parental conduct than are boys. Other

researchers have conducted studies reporting evidence to suggest that

boys are on the receiving end of higher levels of harsh punishment from

parents than are girls ( Jouriles & LeCompte, 1991). Nevertheless, the

finding of Krishnakumar & Buehler (2000) suggests that gender does

play a role in terms of parental treatment of children, and the

subsequent adaptive/maladaptive outcomes, specifically in family

environments characterized by marital conflict. Musick and Meier (2010)

on the effects of parental conflict witnessed in childhood on

psychosocial adjustment of 175 college students found that gender

differences on marital conflict exerted direct effects on boys' coping

behaviour, while for girls; effects were indirect through their self-blame

and threat appraisals. Nwadinigwe (2000) opined that the type of home

a child comes from affects the learning behaviours of the child in terms

of his acceptance of value by which the home is adapted to. A home

where positive attitudes are not encouraged, love is not given and

affection denied, will not be a suitable home environment for a growing

and developing child.

Ichado (2000) observed that teachers commonly described children

from unstable homes as more hostile, aggressive, anxious, fearful,

hyperactive and distractible than children from intact families. Studies

(Mallum and Mallum, 1990; Akingbade, 1991) have also shown that

children from broken homes commit more acts of juvenile delinquency

and they have low self-esteem and low self-concept. Another study by

Amato and Keith (1991) shows that adverse family environment of

marital discord, separation or desertion, alcoholism, promiscuity etc.

produces in the child emotional disturbance. Similar cases lead to

distorted parents child relationship if the home is broken because of

incompatibility between the parents, the child is affected not only by the

break itself but also by the parental friction that led to the break. The

parent with whom the child remains may be very bitter towards the

spouse who is no longer, to make disparaging remarks to the child

concerning the other parent.

 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research design

The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up

this project work the choice of this research design was considered

appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large

population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the

study as the study sought to have a critical analysis of impact of broken

home on academic performance and psychosocial adjustment of

secondary school students.

3.2 Sources of data collection

Data were collected from two main sources namely:

(i)Primary source and

(ii)Secondary source

Primary source:

These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by

the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a

survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has

adopted the questionnaire method for this study.

Secondary source:

These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as

byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various

other unpublished works and write ups were also used.

3.3 Population of the study

Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things

the researcher is interested in getting information a critical analysis of

the impact of broken home on academic performance and psychosocial

adjustment of secondary school students. 200 staff of some selected

secondary schoolsat Kosofe Local Government in Lagos Statewere

selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.

3.4 Sample and sampling procedure

Sample is the set people or items which constitute part of a given

population sampling. Due to large size of the target population, the

researcher used the Taro Yamani formula to arrive at the sample

population of the study.

n= N
 1+N (e) 2

n= 200

1+200(0.05)2

= 200

1+200(0.0025)

= 200 200

1+0.5 = 1.5 = 133.

3.5 Instrument for data collection

The major research instrument used is the questionnaires. This was

appropriately moderated. The respondents were administered with the

questionnaires to complete, with or without disclosing their identities.

The questionnaire was designed to obtain sufficient and relevant

information from the respondents. The primary data contained

information extracted from the questionnaires in which the respondents

were required to give specific answer to a question by ticking in front of

an appropriate answer. The questionnaires contained structured

questions which were divided into sections A and B.

3.6 Validation of the research instrument

The questionnaire used as the research instrument was subjected to

face its validation. This research instrument (questionnaire) adopted

was adequately checked and validated by the supervisor his

contributions and corrections were included into the final draft of the

research instrument used.

3.7 Method of data analysis

The data collected was not an end in itself but it served as a means to

an end. The end being the use of the required data to understand the

various situations it is with a view to making valuable recommendations

and contributions. To this end, the data collected has to be analysis for

any meaningful interpretation to come out with some results. It is for

this reason that the following methods were adopted in the research

project for the analysis of the data collected. For a comprehensive

analysis of data collected, emphasis was laid on the use of absolute

numbers frequencies of responses and percentages. Answers to the

research questions were provided through the comparison of the

percentage of response to each statement in the questionnaire related

to any specified question being considered.

Frequency in this study refers to the arrangement of responses in order

of magnitude or occurrence while percentage refers to the

arrangements of the responses in order of their proportion. The simple

percentage method is believed to be straight forward easy to interpret

and understand method.

The researcher therefore chooses the simple percentage as the method

to use.

The formula for percentage is shown as.

% = f/N x 100/1

Where f = frequency of respondents response

N = Total Number of response of the sample

100 = Consistency in the percentage of respondents for each item

Contained in questions
 CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA

4.1 Introduction

Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the

data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based

on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this

exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and

analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research

questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple

percentage in the analysis.

DATA ANALYSIS

The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form

with simple percentage for easy understanding.

A total of 133(one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were

distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned.

Question 1

Gender distribution of the respondents.

TABLE I

Gender distribution of the respondents

Response Frequ Percen Valid Cumulative

ency t Percent Percent

Male 77 57.9 57.9 57.9

Vali
Female 56 42.1 42.1 100.0
d
Total 133 100.0 100.0

From the above table it shows that 57.9% of the respondents were

male while 42.1% of the respondents were female.

Question 2

The positions held by respondents

TABLE II

The positions held by respondents

Response Frequen Percen Valid Cumulative

cy t Percent Percent

principals 37 27.8 27.8 27.8

Administrative
Val 50 37.6 37.6 65.4
staff
id
Senior staff 23 17.3 17.3 82.7

Junior staff 23 17.3 17.3 100.0

Total 133 100.0 100.0

The above tables shown that 37 respondents which represents27.8% of

the respondents are principals 50 respondents which represents 37.6 %

are administrative staff 23 respondents which represents 17.3% of the

respondents are senior staff, while 23 respondents which represent

17.3% of the respondents are junior staff

TEST OF HYPOTHESES

Ho: There is no significant impact of broken homes and students’

academic performance

Hi:There is significant impact of broken homes and students’ academic

performance

Table III

There is no significant impact of broken homes and

students’ academic performance

Response Observed Expected Residu

N N al

Agreed 40 33.3 6.8

strongly agreed 50 33.3 16.8
Disagreed 26 33.3 -7.3
strongly
17 33.3 -16.3
disagreed
Total 133
 Test Statistics

There is no
significant
impact of
broken homes
and students’
academic
performance

Chi-
19.331a
Square
Df 3
Asymp.
.000
Sig.

a. 0 cells (0.0%) have expected

frequencies less than 5. The
minimum expected cell
frequency is 33.3.

Decision rule:

The researcher therefore rejects the alternate hypotheses which states

that,there is significant impact of broken homes and students’ academic

performanceas the calculated value of 19.331 is greater than the critical

value of 7.82 Therefore the null hypotheses which states that there is
no significant impact of broken homes and students’ academic

performance is accepted.

TEST OF HYPOTHESIS TWO

Ho:There is no significant impact of broken homes and students’

psychosocial adjustment

Hi:There is significant impact of broken homes and students’

psychosocial adjustment

Table V

There is significant impact of broken homes and

students’ psychosocial adjustment

Respons Observed Expected Residu

e N N al

Yes 73 44.3 28.7

No 33 44.3 -11.3
Undecide
27 44.3 -17.3
d
Total 133

Test Statistics

There is
significant
impact of
broken homes
and students’
psychosocial
adjustment
 Chi-
Squar 28.211a
e
Df 2
Asymp
.000
. Sig.

a. 0 cells (0.0%) have

expected frequencies less
than 5. The minimum
expected cell frequency is
44.3.

Decision rule:

The researcher therefore rejectsthe null hypotheses which states that

there isno significant impact of broken homes and students’

psychosocial adjustment,as the calculated value of 19.331 is greater

than the critical value of 7.82 Therefore the alternate hypotheses which

states that there is significant impact of broken homes and students’

psychosocial adjustment is accepted.

 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Introduction

It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to

ascertain a critical analysis of impact of broken home on academic

performance and psychosocial adjustment of secondary school students.

In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were

presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In

this chapter, certain recommendations are made, which in the opinion of

the researcher will be of benefit in addressing the challenges of broken

homes, academic performance and psychosocial adjustment of

secondary school students.

5.2 Summary
This study aimed at havinga critical analysis of impact of broken on

academic performance. Four objectiveswere raised. These objectives

include:To determine the impact of broken homes on students’

academic performance, to establish if there exist any difference between

students from broken homes and their peers from intact homes in

academic performance, to determine the impact of broken homes on

student’s psychological adjustment, to ascertain the gender impact of

broken home on students’ psychosocial adjustment.

5.3 Conclusion

Based on the above findings pertaining to the objectives of the study

the following conclusions are drawn.

On the basis of the findings in this study, it is concluded that broken

homes have major effects on the psychosocial adjustment of students

but no much impact on academic performance. It is also concluded that

marital conflict significantly affects adolescents' perception of the

institution of marriage.

5.4 Recommendation

1. Families should embrace effective communication because

communication is very important in creating positive bonds among

 family members and this will in turn promote understanding and

reduce family conflicts.

2. Programmes and training in relation to the principles that will

make families to live peacefully and harmoniously should be

organized for counsellors and Para-counsellors (teachers in

secondary schools) who may be privileged to help adolescents

with school adjustment challenges rooted in family conflict and

family values.

3. Families should be encouraged by stakeholders such as teachers,

counsellors, school authorities etc to support their children and

wards with school adjustment challenges in view of the fact that

family conflict and values relates with adolescents school

adjustment.
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QUESTIONNAIRE

INSTRUCTION

Please tick or fill in where necessary as the case may be.

Section A

(1) Gender of respondent

A male { }

B female { }

(2) Age distribution of respondents

a) 15-20 { }
b) 21-30 { }
c) 31-40 { }
d) 41-50 { }
e) 51 and above { }
(3) Marital status of respondents?
(a) married [ ]
(b) single [ ]
(c) divorce [ ]
(4) Educational qualification off respondents
(a) SSCE/OND { }
(b) HND/BSC { }
 (c) PGD/MSC { }
(d) PHD { }
(e) Others……………………………….
(5) How long have you been in Lagos state?
(a) 0-2 years { }
(b) 3-5 years { }
(c) 6-11 years { }
(d) 11 years and above……….
(6) Position held by the respondent
(a) principal { }
(b) Administrative staff { }
(c) Senior staff { }
(d) Junior staff { }
(7) How long have you been in the school?
(a) 0-2 years { }
(b) 3-5 years { }
(c) 6-11 years { }
(d) 11 years and above……….
SECTION B

(8) Broken homes are prevalent these days

(a) Agrees { }
(b) Strongly agreed { }
(c) Disagreed { }
(d) Strongly disagreed { }
(9) Children from broken homes perform better than children from
stable homes academically
(a) Agrees { }
(b) Strongly agreed { }
(c) Disagreed { }
(d) Strongly disagreed { }

(10)  Broken homes have impact on students’ psychological

adjustment
(a) Agreed { }
(b) Strongly agreed { }
(c) Disagreed { }
(d) Strongly disagreed { }

(11) Students from broken homes are generally unstable

(a) Agreed { }

(b) Strongly agreed { }

(c) Disagreed { }

(d) Strongly disagreed { }

(12) Children from broken homes are likely to become depressed

(a) Agreed { }

(b) Strongly agreed { }

(c)Disagreed { }
 (d) Strongly disagreed { }

(13) Children from broken homes are likely to engage in activities

that can kill their passion for academics
(a) Agreed { }

(b) Strongly agreed { }

(c) Disagreed { }

(d) Strongly disagreed { }

(14) Students from broken homes have social challenges

(a) Agreed { }

(b) Strongly agreed { }

(c) Disagreed { }

(d) Strongly disagreed { }

(15) There is no impact of broken home on students’ intellect.

(a) Agreed { }

(b) Strongly agreed { }

(c) Disagreed { }

(d) Strongly disagreed { }