48 Volume 1, Number 1, August, 2020

INFLUENCE OF BROKEN HOME ON MORAL BEHAVIOUR OF IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN OYO TOWN, NIGERIA

ADEBAYO, Motunrayo Ayobami Department of Educational Psychology, School of General Education, Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate

Abstract This study investigated the influence of broken home on moral behaviour of adolescents in Oyo Town. Two hundred adolescents (100 males and 100 females) were selected from four randomly selected secondary schools as subjects. Moral Behaviour Scale was a self- developed questionnaire employed for the investigation while, three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. T-test statistics was employed in analyzing the data collected. The results showed that significant difference exists in moral behaviour of adolescents from broken home and those from intact homes. Based on the findings, counsellors, psychologists, teachers and other stakeholders should pay attention to students with deviant behaviours and give necessary counselling intervention on time.

Keywords: broken-home, adolescents, moral behaviour

Introduction either party. Children from divorced Even in modern societies where outside relationships are usually characterized by agencies like the school play a significant role low level of contact and affection. This was in fostering desirable skills in children, the confirmed by the study of Booth and Amato family plays a substantial role on the moral (2001) that found out that adolescents from behaviour of a child. In almost all societies, custodial father families do have higher the family is expected to take on the basic relationship with their mother custodial responsibility of child rearing so that they families. will someday be able to function adequately Child psychologist, Piaget, postulates as adults. Every culture believes that that personality of a child is formed during marriage is the exchange of vows between a the first five years; this he carries through man and a woman. It is with this composition adulthood. And any positive or negative that the procreation and proper up-bringing interference caused as result of broken home of children can be possible. Broken home will not only have immediate effect but also is used to describe a home where only one of affect the future development of the the parent is raising the children individual. (Dictionary.com 2020). What readily comes There are many things that can lead to mind when broken home is mentioned are to a broken home. These may be as a result of divorce, separation or desertion. While social differences of couples, childlessness, divorce is the dissolution of marriage by law interference of in-laws, lack of or in primitive societies by established understanding, lateness in coming home of custom (Cayer, 1996) separation is milder one or both parties, religious problems, than divorce because it gives room for individual differences, financial problems and settlement. Desertion on other hand is the sexual misunderstanding. Any of the abscondment from the matrimonial home by aforementioned could lead to broken home Trailblazer International Journal of Educational Research 49 which will adversely affect the parties adult size. At this period, the adolescents involved and their off spring. Divorce or need thorough checks and care so as not to marital disruption is a major force in shaping mis-manage the entire period and the an individual’s life and also associated with absence of either parent may jeopardise the cognitive, emotional and behavioural proper upbringing and notices needed at this problems in children who have undergone point. the dissolution of marriage of their parents Adolescents make moral judgments (Amato, 2005). on a daily basis. In their younger days, family, Broken home is not healthy for the culture and religion greatly influence their family anytime, anywhere and anyhow. It is moral decision-making, but, during the hardest that can happen to any couple, adolescence, peer pressure can exert a especially those with children as the absence powerful influence and without a proper of either or both parents will affect the family home, it may be difficult for some to survive administration. The effects of broken home the trauma of emotional, physical or sexual appear to be very high on the parents, society abuse that may hinder a smooth transition to and the children involved. The first agent the late adolescence (Schultz, 2006). Changes in child interacts with is the parents and when social relationship also make them to become they are separated or are divorced, it greatly independent of parents and this could lead to affects the upbringing of the child. This shows doing the craziest thing which cannot be in the behaviour even at adolescence. imagined (Van-pelt, 2011). Basically, the parents are to mould the The adolescents face tough situations behaviour of their children. As the child which most parents are barely aware of. They moves into adulthood, an important want to 'belong' and be seen. Lack of basic development takes place in moral behaviour needs in separated or disordered families so that at adolescence, the individual must may affect smooth living at this stage. have been duly exposed to the ethics and Wiseman (2011), as cited by Yakubu (2017) rules governing moral behaviour which in inferred that broken homes may affect the turn are expected to determine his daily development of the children in all aspects of conducts (Hurlock, 2008). An adolescent that their life, thus children from broken or grew in a family that lacks love, joy, disrupted homes may be emotionally happiness and kindness tends to have unbalanced and psychologically depressed aberration in his moral behaviour. In a study and this may make them to behave and conducted to investigate the relationship exhibits some deviant behaviours. between family structure and early family Moges and Weber (2014) affirmed formation among women, the results showed that parents have a big impact on their child's that the number of young women who emotional development, and being physically experienced teenage pregnancy was present may not be enough for child, but all significantly higher for respondents coming that matters to the children is their parent's from a non intact family compared to those emotional attachment to them. Emotionally from two-parent homes (Hurlock, 2008). attached children tend to regulated their Adolescence is characterized by lots emotions and interact with others of changes including physical, moral, social, appropriately. In a study by Amato (2005) intellectual and emotional. The physical where sixty divorced families with one changes can be seen in the stature and hundred and thirty-one children were features that are associated with this stage. studied in a longitudinal research, two-thirds The pituitary gland secretion is visible with of the children after five years were clinically the widespread physiological effect. Also, the depressed doing poorly in school, had growth hormones produce a rapid growth difficulty maintaining friendships and spurt which brings the body almost close to experienced chronic problems such as sleep

50 Volume 1, Number 1, August, 2020 disturbances. It is also confirmed by Hulock lack of respect for elders, murder, rape etc (2008) that children from broken homes may (Ajuzie, 2005). Along this line, Boutwel and have difficulty in academic progress due to Beaver (2010) confirmed broken homes as a lack or inadequate provision of educational risk factor for involvement in crime and resources. This may be from a number of delinquency. However, their study asserts factors such as instability in the homes that low self-control has been shown to be a environment, inadequate financial resources robust and consistent predictor of antisocial and inconsistent routines. Adolescents that behaviour. come from broken homes may not be To this end, there are lots of physical, adequately catered for because of financial emotional and environmental problems loss that makes it difficult to get basic school being faced by adolescent. This study thus needs. Kapambwe (2001) studied the intends to identify the influence of broken emotional impact of children in school home and how impactful this has been on learning and the effect on their overall moral behaviour of in-school Adolescent in performance. He affirmed that children with Oyo town. emotional problems do poorly because they are unable to turn their energies and Methodology attention in the direction. They are This study, which was designed to find out dominated by some more pressing and the influence of broken home on moral urgent unfulfilled emotional and behaviour of in-school adolescents in Oyo, psychological needs. employed the descriptive survey approach. In the study of Gyoung and Yun The target population for the study is all in- (2004) where 200 pupils were examined school adolescents from where 200 students (100 girls, 100 boys), the emotional and were drawn from three local government behavioural problems of children from areas in Oyo Township in Oyo State as broken families, the result showed that samples. The subjects consisted of senior children from broken families exhibit some secondary school one students in the public behavioural problems such as secondary schools drawn using stratified aggressiveness, anxiety, developmental random sampling technique. The age of the disorder, absences from school, bad-habits subjects ranged between 13 and 19 years. and attention-seeking behaviours. Douglas The instrument used is Adolescent (2011) also affirmed it in the study of moral Behaviour scale designed by the children from broken families and their researcher. The scale is divided into two behaviour. The result confirmed that most parts, sections A and B. Section A contains children from disruptive homes are information about the Personal background disadvantaged, because they are usually of the subjects and the demographic data. deprived academically, economically, socially Section B has twenty statements to which the and culturally. He confirmed that children respondents have to respond by rating from such homes usually exhibit deficit themselves on a four-point-rating-scale from behaviour. Strongly Agree 4, Agree 3, Disagree 2 and The issue of socially unacceptable Strongly disagree 1. The highest a subject can behaviours has also continued to feature on get is 80 (4 X 20) and the least is 20 (1 X 20). print and electronic media, public debates, The data collected were analyzed educational seminars and lectures in Nigeria. using the student t-test. All the hypotheses A number of social problems that currently postulated were confirmed at the level of confront the country include moral 0.05 level of significance. decadence, religious and sporadic ethic violence mostly spear headed by young adults, vandalization of properties, laziness, Trailblazer International Journal of Educational Research 51

Results Based on the data collected, the results were given in form of tables as shown below.

Table 1 There will be no significant difference in the moral behaviour of adolescents from broken homes and those from intact homes.

T-test Analysis of the differences between in the moral behaviour of adolescents from broken and intact homes V a r i a b l e G r o u p N SD ∑X d f t-value t - c a l Adolescent from Broken Home 6 5 3 9 . 4 12.48 2638 Moral 188 2.70 3.74 Behaviour Adolescents from Intact Homes 135 31.77 9.13 4204

The above hypothesis was rejected, because calculated value is 3.74 while the table value significant difference exists in the moral is 2.70. Since the calculated value is greater behaviour of adolescents from broken homes than the table value, the hypothesis was and adolescents from intact homes. The therefore rejected.

Table II There will be no significant difference in the moral behaviour of early adolescents from broken home and late adolescents from broken homes.

T-test Analysis of the difference between the moral behaviour of Early and Late Adolescents from broken homes Variable G r o u p N SD ∑X d f t-value t - c a l

Moral Early Adolescent from Broken Home 18 36.56 11.57 658 Behaviour Late Adolescents from Broken H 47 40.34 11.52 1899 63 2.70 0.82

The above hypothesis was accepted. calculated value is 0.82 while the table value There is no significant difference in moral is 2.70. The calculated value is less than the behaviour of early adolescents and late table value, based on this the hypothesis was adolescents from broken homes. The accepted.

Table III There will be no significant difference between the moral behaviour of male and female adolescents from broken homes.

T-test Analysis of the difference between the moral behaviour of male adolescents from broken home and female adolescents from broken home Variable G r o u p N SD ∑X D f t-value t-cal

Moral Male Adolescent from Broken Home 34 41.38 11.51 1406 Behaviour Female Adolescents from Broken 31 37.07 11.58 1148 63 2.70 1.1

The above hypothesis shows no significant difference in the moral behaviour of male and female Adolescents from broken homes. The calculated value is 1.1, while the table value is 2.70. The calculated value is less than the table value and therefore the hypothesis is accepted.

52 Volume 1, Number 1, August, 2020

home on a child's behaviour. The study was conducted on 40 delinquent and non-diligent Discussion children. He concluded that children (both The first hypothesis states that there is no males and females) who experience significant difference in the moral behaviour unfavourable home conditions tend to of Adolescents from broken home and those become delinquent. Gyoung and Yun (2010) from intact home. The findings reveal that examined 200 pupils (100 girls, 100boys) on there is a significant difference in the moral the emotional and behaviour problems of behaviour of adolescents from broken home children from broken families. The result and those from intact homes. The findings is confirmed that children from broken families supported by Kapambwe (2001), Boutwell showed some behaviour problems such as and Beaver (2010) that found that children aggressiveness, anxiety, development from broken homes always have emotional disorder, absence from school, bad-habits problems that lead to poor performance in and attention-seeking behaviours. The result school activities because they are unable to also showed the parenting behaviours of avert their energies and attention to learning, broken families were characterized as they tend to be dominated by more urgent negative, rejective and inconsistent unfulfilled psychological and emotional behaviours. Van-pelt (2011) confirmed that needs. Also, Dunifon and Kowleske -Jones most troubled adolescents are being raised (2002) found adolescents from single parent by parents whose marriages are already in homes exhibit more anti social behaviour trouble. Male and female adolescents need than these from two parent families. role models at any point in time and non Douglas (2011) affirmed that in most availability of either parent could stall broken homes, children are generally parental discipline, house work, education disadvantaged because they are usually and home training. deprived academically, economically, socially and culturally; they always have deficit Conclusion behaviour. This is because lack of stable Broken home has a great problem on the intact homes definitely affects their offspring. proper upbringing of children. Home stricken The vacuum created by either absentee by divorce, death, dissertation or separation parents who are to instill proper behaviour, and the lack of parental affection and when separated or divorced, have great effect understanding could produce a great stress on their offspring. in a Child's life. This is probably why many In Hypothesis Two, it was found that children from broken homes involve there was no significant difference in the themselves in stealing, bullying, alcoholism, moral behaviour of early and late adolescents smoking and sexual assault. Researches from broken homes. Early or late are known confirm the evidence that stable or intact as adolescents, they respond to societal homes stand to produce morally upright norms the same way. Piaget (1932) saw children than those from broken home. With adolescence period as a stage of autonomous all these findings, it is pertinent to note that moral principle during which rules governing this study tried to recognize as much as behaviour come from within the individual possible the influence of broken home on and not external. moral behaviour of adolescents in Oyo Town In Hypothesis Three, the result states in Oyo State, Nigeria. there is no significant difference in the moral behaviour of male and female adolescents Recommendations from broken homes. This hypothesis affirmed Based on the findings of this study, the the study of Akande (1983) on the impact of following recommendations were made: Trailblazer International Journal of Educational Research 53

1. Parents should settle any problem that in Primary School. London. MGC Gibbon could lead to divorce or separation and Kee Ltd. amicably. Dunifon, R. and Kowaleski-Jones, L. (2002) 2. Government should employ more Who's in the House? Race differences in teachers and guidance counsellors to Cohabitation Single Parenthood and instill moral instruction in schools. Child Development. Journal of Child 3. Intending couples should be convinced Development 73: 1249-1264. that partners are mature enough to Hurlock, E. B. (2008). Child Development. Tata handle some basic issues of life and McGraw-hill Publishing Company not just jump into marriage without Limited, New-Delhi. adequate understanding of what Kapambwe, G.M. (2014). An Investigation into marriage means. the Relationship between Home 4. Parents should discuss with their Background and Scholastic Achievement children about real life and not to take of Group of Junior Secondary School moral instruction for granted Pupils in Zambia-Labaka: UMZA, Press. 5. Couples should visit marriage Moges, B., and Weber, K. (2014). Parental counsellors when they need help and Influence on the Emotional Development also adopt resolution strategies rather of Children. Developmental than break-up. Psychology at vanderbilt. Retrieved December 12 2016 from References https://my.vanderbilt.edu/developmen Ajuzie, M.V (2005). Introduction to Sociology tal psychology blog/2014/05/parental- of Education Lagos: DMMM Publishers. influence-on-the emotional- Amato, P. (2005). The Future of Children- development-of-children. Retrieved December 8, 2016 from Piaget, J. (1932). The Moral Judgment of the http://future of Child. London: Kegan, Paul, Trech, children.org/publication/journals/artic Trubner & co le/index.xml?journalid=37 & article = Saikia, R. (2017). Broken Family: It causes and 107 sionid =692 effects on the development of children. Amato, R.P (2005). The future of Children. International Journal of Applied Retrieved December 8, 2016. From Research 3 (2) 445-448. http://future of Children.org/ Van-Pelt, N. (2011). The Smart Parent. The publication/journals/article/indise.xml Stanborough Press Ltd. England. . Wiseman, S. (2011). Education and Booth, A. and Amato, R.P (2001). "Parental Environment. Manchester: Manchester Pre-divorce Relations and Offspring Post University Press. divorce well-Being" Marriage and Yakubu, A. P. (2017). Influence of Broken Family 63:197-212 home on Academic Performance Among Boutwell, B.B and Beaver, K.M. (2010). The Primary School Pupils in Paikoro, Niger role of Broken homes in the development State, Nigeria (Unpublished M. Ed of self-control: A propensity score Dissertation) Ahmadu Bello University, matching approach. Journal of Criminal Zaria. Justice 38 (4) 489-495. Cayer, N.J (1996). Public Personnel Administration in the United States (3rd ed). New Yorks, NY Wadsworth. Douglas, J.W.B. (2001). The home and the school: Study of Ability and Attainment