ASSESSMENT OF THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF INADEQUATE PARENTING OF STUDENTS IN PUBLIC JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was aimed at assessing the perception of students in the causes and effects of inadequate parenting of students of public junior secondary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria. The study used a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study consisted of 3,600 students from the 12 public junior secondary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Abuja. The sample of the study was 720 (20%) public junior secondary school students selected from 6 sampled public junior secondary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Abuja. 120 public junior secondary school students were sampled from each of the 6 sampled schools through a simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection in the study was the researchers’ self-designed questionnaire titled, “Causes and Effects of Inadequate Parenting of Students Questionnaire (CEIPSQ)”. The instrument was validated by experts in Educational Psychology, Measurement and Evaluation. The instrument was pilot-tested on 40 students from two public junior secondary schools in Kwali Area Council, FCT, Abuja that were not part of the study and a reliability coefficient of 0.75 was obtained using the split half method of reliability. Two research questions guided the study, which were analyzed using frequency counts and simple percentages. The result of the findings showed that the respondents are aware of the existence of the causes of inadequate parenting stated in this study, such as parents’ low sensitivity to child feelings; child’s neglect; parents not setting rules and regulations; reprimanding the child excessively; inconsistent parenting; and being a teen parent, among others. The study recommended, among others, that the government, in collaboration with school authorities, should organize sensitization workshops or seminars for parents while experts are invited to speak on the causes of inadequate parenting on topical issues such as child’s upbringing/parenting, health, and socio-economic matters. The knowledge gained will help parents curb the identified causes of inadequate parenting of their children.