THE IMPACT OF FAMILY STRUCTURE AND MOTIVATION ON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Historically, inquiries into the factors/effects affecting students' motivation and academic accomplishment have piqued the interest and concern of teachers, counselors, psychologists, researchers, and school administrators in Nigeria.

Since time immemorial, the academic performance of pupils at all levels in Nigeria have drawn widespread criticism from all quarters. Bamidele (2014) witnessed a deterioration in the academic achievement of students in Nigerian institutions. She recognized the system's need for reorganization. Bamidele (2014) continued by stating that the government must make a concerted effort to empower and oversee the system in order to raise the bar for academic excellence among students.

Educationalists, and guidance and counseling professionals in particular, have long been concerned with students' academic progress. This is due to popular perceptions of the country's low educational standards. The country's diminishing educational quality and graduates with little technological knowledge have resulted in significant setbacks to the nation's individual growth. Numerous elements can influence a student's academic progress at a university, including the student's internal condition (intelligence, health, motivation, anxiety, etc.) and their surroundings (availability of suitable learning environment, adequacy of educational infrastructure like textbooks and well equipped laboratories). Researchers have discovered various results as a result of their investigation of these factors.

In this sense, the term "family structure" refers to the way a household or family is organized. Each family is unique, as they may have a single parent, two parents, or even step parents. The family structure (single or dual parent) establishes the psychological, moral, spiritual, and motivational underpinnings for the child's total growth. The mother's critical involvement in all of this cannot be overstated (Adebule, 2007).

In this sense, the term "family structure" refers to the way a household or family is organized. Each family is unique, as they may have a single parent, two parents, or even step parents. The family structure (single or dual parent) establishes the psychological, moral, spiritual, and motivational underpinnings for the child's total growth. The mother's critical involvement in all of this cannot be overstated.

The family, being a major effect on the students and the primary agent of socialization, may undoubtedly help or hinder the child's academic progress, depending on the family's social environment. Variation in psychosocial and emotional fortification within the family structure may be indicative of a student's academic achievement. This aspect of research has not been thoroughly examined in Nigeria, where this family system exists, in light of the intervening effect of high and low socioeconomic status and emotional stability of students, both of which are necessary for academic achievement (Adesehinwa, 2013). Thus, parenthood is a shared responsibility requiring the full cooperation of both parents who must ensure their offspring's total development.

There is an understanding of the critical role of the home environment, or the motivation and structure of the family, on a student's academic accomplishment. The family has a significant influence on the psychological, emotional, social, and economic well-being of pupils. According to Ajilate & Olutala (2006), the status of one's house has an effect on the individual since parents are the first socializing agents in a child's life. This is because a child's familial background and environment have an effect on how he responds to life circumstances and on his degree of performance.

Although the school is accountable for the experiences at home, the experiences at home play a significant influence in shaping the child's personality and molding him into what he despises. Although the home environment or family has been recognized as having a significant impact on students' academic achievement, a single parent family in this context is one that is not structurally intact due to a variety of factors such as the death of a parent, divorce, separation, desertion, or illegitimacy, in which the family was never completed (Adebule, 2007). This study was designed to determine the impact of family structure and motivation on the academic accomplishment of students.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The disparities in students' academic achievement in Nigeria have long been a source of concern and research interest for educators, government, and parents. This is because, given the critical role education plays in the country's growth, there is widespread agreement concerning the declining state of education in Nigeria (Adebule, 2007). Academic performance is determined by a multitude of factors and can have a good or negative effect on a child's motivation and ability to thrive in school. Students who live in high-poverty urban areas with a bad family structure face additional obstacles to academic success (Murray & Malingren, 2005). The purpose of this study is to get a better understanding of the link between students from positive and negative motivated families and the impact it has on the academic achievement of students.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of family structure and motivation on students academic achievement. Specifically, other objectives of the study are:

i.          To find out the extent family structure impacts students academic performance.

ii.        To find out the extent of motivation on students academic performance.

iii.      To determine the effects of family structure on students academic achievement.

iv.      To determine if there is any difference in academic performance between students from positively motivated families and students from negatively motivated families.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

i.          To what extent does family structure impacts students academic performance?

ii.        To what extent does motivation impact on students academic performance?

iii.      What are the effects of family structure on students academic achievement?

iv.      Is there any difference in academic performance between students from positively motivated families and students from negatively motivated families?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This work is relevant from a variety of perspectives. The studies' findings are extremely relevant for parents, educators, policymakers, curriculum designers, and researchers. Students will get an understanding of their position as students and take deliberate efforts toward resisting their families' negative motivation while leveraging their good impact to improve their academic accomplishment. Additionally, it is hoped that the study will serve as a source of information for the government in order to organize and address the barriers impeding students' effective academic achievement and, once again, to increase the number of school counselors employed in institutions of higher learning to provide guidance services to students, particularly those from single parent families.

Additionally, this study will aid policymakers in developing legislation that will assist and psychologically support students from single parent households and negatively motivated families in overcoming their emotional difficulties. The study will also assist parents in comprehending the implications of parental motivation and separation, enabling them to deploy all available resources to mitigate the situation's ramifications. This might act as a motivator for kids. The researcher believes that the outcomes of this study will give significant information that will assist the general public in enhancing the academic accomplishment of single parent university students. The recommendations that may result from the findings may be used to address social issues.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Broadly, this study focuses on examining the impact of family structure and motivation on students academic achievement. The study specifically focuses on finding out the extent family structure impacts students academic performance, finding out the extent of motivation on students academic performance, determining the effects of family structure on students academic achievement and determining if there is any difference in academic performance between students from positively motivated families and students from negatively motivated families.

Teachers and students of Jos South in Plateau State will serve as participants for the survey of this study.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

 Broadly, this study is limited to examining the impact of family structure and motivation on students academic achievement. The study is specifically limited to finding out the extent family structure impacts students academic performance, finding out the extent of motivation on students academic performance, determining the effects of family structure on students academic achievement and determining if there is any difference in academic performance between students from positively motivated families and students from negatively motivated families.

Teachers and students of Jos South in Plateau State will serve as participants for the survey of this study, thus the sample size was limited because only a few respondents were chosen to answer the research instrument, therefore the results cannot be generalized to other secondary schools outside the state.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Impact: A marked effect or influence.

Family structure: Family structure” is a term that describes the members of a household who are linked by marriage or bloodline.

Motivation: A reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way.

Academic achievement: Academic achievement or academic performance is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has attained their short or long-term educational goals. Completion of educational benchmarks such as secondary school diplomas and bachelor's degrees represent academic achievement.

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