CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Sandstorm (1972) defined the family as the union of a husband, wife and the children (if any), a biologically related group, grand parent, children and relations living in a household, the group that someone grows up in, the group people spend most of their time etc.

According to Murdrock (1969), the family is a social group characterized by common interest, residence, reproduction social and economic cooperation. There are two types of family namely; nuclear and extended family.

Akanda (2008) defined the crisis as a situation marks a turning point, when things cease to go on as usual. Such situations occur in the family. They often affect family relationships, family goals, values and standards. Family crisis occur when family has to change. It is a turning point thing it will either get better, or they will get worse. Sometimes, day to day hassles can pile up and cause a stress over head. Other events can cause a family crisis.

Sometimes the unexpected can suddenly hit your family. Some one may die, one may loose a job, properties may get burnt, amongst other things. These are issues that can lead to family crisis.

In most cases these changes can be difficult for family because they require the family to deal with many changes. Someone dies others may have to “fill their shoes” while also dealing with the loss, if you win the lottery you have to deal with how to spend the money well, otherwise this can cause family conflict.

Families can adopt well to these crisis by supporting one another and being feasible enough to make changes. A developmental crisis occur in a family when people get married, have children, have a child start school, have an adolescent going through puberty, have a child leaving home have parents aging and or dying. Some of these changes are subtle and gradual, others are dramatic those crises are often viewed as “normal event” and thus the stress placed on your family may not be recognized. Adapting to the change that occur as children and adult grow and age can be very difficult for families, families need to be aware that these “normal” development can cause stress because they challenge rearrange our families.

To adjust to developmental crisis, families often need to adjust family rules and roles to meet the new abilities of the family members. A structural crisis occur when the family resists changing to meet the demand of developmental or “out of blue” crisis. Being unable to change can aggravate existing conflict and can lead to many action that harm you or your family members examples of this include cheating on ones partner, feeling suicidal, drinking too much alcohol, physical and sexual abuse, drug use and divorce. This behaviour are often symptoms of the family inability to adopt to change and solve the problem. The family may become so disorganized that it is unable to over come the crisis, when behaviour such as this occurs, family often benefit from outside professional help.

Effects of family crisis on children, often comes with many problems. Family crisis can at the long run reflect on the children’s performance in school. Some of these problems are: 

a.            Insecurity: In this case parents do not show much love and affection to their children. Thus this child suffer from mental retardation low personality improvement and are always miserable, they show behavioural response like lying, stealing, bullying and playing truant in schools.

b.            Creation of gap on the children’s existence because there is no adults presence to guide and direct their behaviour and desire as children learn by imitation.

c.            Research have revealed that children from homes where there is crisis suffer some other problems such as noon-provision of some basic materials needed like food, clothing, learning materials, time of studies etc.

In view of these, the researcher is forced to wonder whether there is relationship between family crisis and children academic achievement in school.

1.2STATEMENT OF PROBLEM   

The research work is aimed at the assessment of family crisis and its effect on children. Special attention need to be given to children at home and in school. In addition children represent the present as well as the future. Therefore adequate care must be given to them. Research has shown that crisis in homes affect children in various capacities. Therefore, well inculcation of good moral help to alienate crisis in the homes.

1.3PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This research is focused on family crisis and its effect on the child, because of the present decrease in children’s performance  in school which is giving much concern to most Nigerians as to where we are heading to. In view of this, the study is geared towards identifying the causes of family crisis, and its effect on the child at home.

1.4SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is hoped that the findings of this study will enriched programmes of teaching  students in schools. It is also hoped that it will help parents realized effect of family crisis on their children academic performance. Finally, the findings from the study will help children from homes where there are crisis the understanding of the problem experienced by their parents and give them assurance about their future.

1.5RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions formulated by the researcher in other to aid in her investigation.

1.            Have you ever experienced crisis in the home?

2.            What form of crisis did you experience?

3.            Does psychological and emotional disturbance of children as a result of crisis lead to low self esteem?

4.            Do children from homes where there are crisis lack the emotional stability to plan for their future? 

1.6SCOPE OF STUDY

This study is restricted to two government owned secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area.

1.7DEFINITION OF TERMS

Family: A group of persons, two or more related by blood, marriage or adoption residing together, all such persons are considered as members of one family

Crisis: An unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending.

Divorce: Put an end to a marriage.

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