p-ISSN 2355-5343 Article Received: 31/01/2019; Accepted: 17/03/2019 e-ISSN 2502-4795 Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Vol. 6(1) 2019, 116-125 http://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/mimbar DOI: 10.17509/mimbar-sd.v6i1.15222 Single Parenting and Emotional Development of Primary School Students as Viewed by Nigerian Primary School Teachers Lateef Omotosho Adegboyega Department of Counsellor Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria [email protected] Abstract. This research investigated the influence of single parenting on emotional development of primary school students as viewed by Nigerian primary school teachers. A descriptive survey designed was adopted to draw 200 primary school teachers. One research question was raised and three null hypotheses were respectively postulated to guide the research at 0.05 level of significance. In addition, data analysis was done using t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Furthermore, the findings revealed that low self-esteem was the most influencing emotional development of primary school students in Ilorin metropolis. The findings also revealed that there was no significant difference in the influence of single parenting on the emotional development of primary school students in terms of gender and qualification. It is recommended that teachers of students from single parents should be more sensitive to their emotional needs and always be ready to assist them. Moreover, counsellors should collaborate with teachers and parents to minimize the negative influence of single parenting. Teachers are suggested to be more sensitive and willing to assist students whenever they have problems at home. Single parents are suggested to provide more quality time with their children to avoid them performing negative behaviors. Parents are suggested to maintain stable home by living together to enhance their children emotional development. Keywords: counsellor, emotional development, primary school students, single parenting. How to Cite: Adegboyega, L. (2019). Single Parenting and Emotional Development of Primary School Students as Viewed by Nigerian Primary School Teachers. Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, 6(1), 116-125. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.17509/mimbar-sd.v6i1.15222. INTRODUCTION ~ One of the phenomena the available parent. This could have that continually happens is single great impact on both child and parent. parenting. It is a situation where only a This could be why psychologists, teachers, parent, either the father or mother is and researchers are concerned with the saddled with the responsibility of taking impact of this type of parenting on the care for the child. The reasons for single overall child development, particularly the parenting vary from death of a parent to emotional development (Dowd, 2002). parental separation/divorce. This could Single parenting is caused by death of mean that a lone parent heads the family one’s partner; this could either be the either in form of lone or joint physical husband or the wife, infidelity, divorce and custody. death (Salami & Alawode, 2000). Surprisingly, incidence of single parenting Due to single parenting, the pressurizing continues to increase yearly and from responsibility of nurturing a child is left to country to country with the most [116] Lateef Omotosho Adegboyega, Single Parenting and Emotional Development of Primary School… incidences noted in the Americans, in the Nigerian society (Robinson, 2000), Denmark, and those in Belgium. Sadly in which is leaving children at a United States, the percentage of single disadvantaged position. parenting had risen as high as 70% in 2003 The stage of childhood is a key (Steck, 2009). Similarly, it was stated that developmental stage in the life of every about half of children in their middle individual. At this stage, children learn by adolescence have, at one time, been involvedness, observation, imitation, and nurtured by a single parent. emulations of characters. Through this, In Africa, the family system is an extended they begin to form emotions towards self, type consisting of the father, mother, others and the surrounding (Morse & uncle, aunt, and grandparents; the child Wingo, 2001). At childhood stage, children, has a lot to learn from this group of due to the fact that they are still growing, people. It is pathetic that there was an are able to perceive, form interest, and increase in single parenting cases (Brunet, respond to issues around them. This means 2005). In Nigeria, single parenting that a child is presented with continues to rise due to separation of environmental and social tasks, which parents who are in need of daily bread could impact his/her emotion and attitude and greener pasture, parental death and and form the basis for progress in both divorce, and also the occurrence of academic and relationship endeavors. diseases or war. This causes a bridge in the A major task of primary students includes family structure. Family, as the most emotional development. Emotional important form of interaction and development refers to making a socialization of the child, is hampered. This meaningful and consistent identity. It has may make the child lack of physically, been observed that emotional cognitively, spiritually, and emotionally development does not end in development (Santrock, 2004). adolescence; it begins from childhood For the promotion of cultural heritage, when children develop strong cognitive there must be child socialization that power to live through their self-image, begins at home. It is the responsibility of which could only occur with good the two parents, not only one to take the emotional development (Kroger, 2004). child through traditions, but also to learn How one feels about himself is an aspect about kinship, responsibility togetherness of emotional development. Anyone who and develop in team spirit – an aspect of does not accept him/her self could have emotional development. However, again poor emotional development and will not these are fast eroding away due to be able to relate well with self and others. modernization and single parenting. Single parenting is becoming an order of the day [117] Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, Volume 6 Number 1 April 2019 Children’s emotional development is environment one lives and what meaning important that many single parents are the adolescent is able to make from the trying their best to provide and care for happenings in the environment. Saarni their needs. It is saddening that what two (2011) states that when an individual is people created has to be adequately emotionally developed he/she is able to done by one person. By implication, do the following: (1) they are aware of children who are brought up by a lone their feelings; (2) having the ability to parent could suffer serious emotional discern other peoples’ feelings based on development (Robinson, 2000). Over the the other person’s actions; (3) having pool years, children raised by single parents of feelings and expressions that are have been source of concern and issue for present at different levels and research across the globe (Broth et al., environment; (4) having the ability to feel 2001). There is possibility that students from the pains of others and to express same to a single parent home will face the feelings others; (5) having the skills to realize of insecurity, loneliness, anger, and feelings that does not even tally with fear/phobia (Kembe, 2005). Therefore, the expressed feelings both in self and others. above consideration has become the This implies that for adolescents to have basis that this research focuses on the sound emotional development, they must influence of single parenting on emotional be raised in a balanced environment development of primary school students as where they can perceive and obtain viewed by Nigerian primary school healthy emotion. teachers. Problem Emotional Development of Adolescents Single parenting is extremely common Emotional development refers to how an among Nigerians. This family type has individual feel about himself and those troubled the emotional stability and around him. It refers to ways the children development of the child. Due to single develop the ability to observe and give parenting, many children in Nigeria had meanings to feelings. It refers to the rate at poor emotional development; they may which adolescents are able to adapt and cry, be filled with anxiety, be bullied, etc. achieve realistic goals, and also based on Being a child from a single parent home is feelings, behaviour, and cognition that very tough and challenging, as they may function as one which makes the face challenges in school. As a result, the adolescent relate well in his environment. children did frequent absenteeism from Cognitive ability and environment of the school and extracurricular activities, individual have been noted to affect reduced capacity to function in school, development of emotion. In essence, exhibit violence behaviors, emotional emotion develops as a result of the disturbances, poor attention span in [118] Lateef Omotosho Adegboyega, Single Parenting and Emotional Development of Primary School… classroom, personality disorder, stress, etc., 1. There is no significant difference in the In other words, they are not likely to influence of single parenting on perform up to school’s expectation. emotional development of primary school students as viewed by primary Earlier researchers such as Kembe (2005) school teachers in Ilorin metropolis expressed that adolescent from single based