influence of mother and child communication in the development of children (a case study of akoka local government area of lagos state)

Description

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page

Approval page

Dedication

Acknowledgement

ABSTRACT

Table of contents

List of tables

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1 Background of the study

2 Statement of the problem

3 Objectives of the study

4 Research Questions

5 Scope of the study

6 Significance of the study

 

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

1. Conceptual framework

Concept of Child development

Concept of Self-esteem

Concept of Mother – Child Communication Patterns

Relationship among Mother – Child Communication Patterns and Self-Esteem

1. Theoretical framework

Atkinson’s Need Achievement Theory (1964)

Social Cognitive Learning Theory – Bandura (1977)
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs (1970)

1. Review of Related Empirical Studies

1. Summary of literature reviewed.

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.1     Introduction

3.2     study area

3.3     Research Design

3.4     Population of the study

3.5     Sample Size and Sampling Technique

3.6     Research Instrument

3.7     Validity Instruments  

3.8     Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis

4.3 Discussions of Findings

 

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Summary of findings

5.3 Conclusion

5.4 Recommendations

Suggestions for Further Studies

42 References

43 Appendix A

44 Appendix B

 

  CHAPTER ONE

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The mother–child relationship is one of the most influential, important, and meaningful connections in an existent’s life. The communication between parents and children energies their bond and functions to fraternize children (i.e., gender, career and work, relationship values and skills, and health actions), give social support, show affection, make sense of their life gests, engage in conflict, manage private information, and produce a family communication terrain. How parents and children manage these functions changes over time as their relationship adapts over the experimental ages of their lives. Mothers and fathers may also respond else to the changing requirements of their children, given the unique relational societies that generally exist in mother–child versus father–child connections.

Although exploration on parent–child communication is vast and thorough, the constant changes faced by families in the 21st century—including further difference family structures— provides ample avenues for unborn exploration on this complex relationship. Parent–child communication in different families (e.g.,separated /stepfamilies,consanguineous, multiracial, LGBTQ, and military families) must regard for the complexity of individualities and gests in these families. Further, changes in society similar as advances in technology, the growing population, and differing parenthood practices are also transubstantiating the parent– child connection. Because this relationship is a vital social resource for both parents and children throughout their lives, experimenters will really continue to seek to understand the complications of this important family duo.

Academic achievement of scholars is of utmost significance to parents, preceptors , concerned Nigerians and the government. This, of course, is because of the huge impact education has on the public and profitable development of the country. Education is an investment as well as an instrument that can be used to achieve rapid-fire scientific, social, political, technological, artistic and profitable development in the country. Regrettably, still, the agreement of opinion from each over the country is that academic achievement of students in Nigeria is poor (Adebule, 2004).

The poor academic achievement of scholars has been seen as being a result of numerous factors. Some experimenters have attributed scholars’ poor achievement to maternal factors. Family stress and fiscal problems are the major maternal factors criticized by numerous experimenters for the emotional development and poor academic achievement of the scholars. According to Joshua (2010), students who had problems in school were often preoccupied with concerns outside the school setting. He further stressed that many lived in socially and economically disadvantaged home situations which significantly impede their emotional, social and economic growth and development. Some scholars who come from similar poor and stress-laden families feel out of place and odd among their fellow scholars. They develop low tone-regard and feel depressed. Generally, achievement in academy becomes a negative adventure.

Similar perception of these subjects as being delicate could inseminate loss of confidence in scholars which could always deteriorate to negative evaluation of themselves. This could be a reason for their poor achievement in those subjects. On the other hand, those scholars that do not see similar subjects as being delicate, may estimate themselves appreciatively and may accordingly achieve better.

Similar positive or negative tone-evaluations of themselves by the scholars could be nominated tone-regard. A study by Crocker and Bourette (2003) revealed that self-esteem is a component of personality and for it to grow, people need to have self- worth and our self-worth will be sought from embracing challenges that result in the showing of success (Crocker & Niya 2006).

One’s self-esteem determines the level of one’s achievement in all endeavors of life. Ngwoke (2010) perceived self-esteem as how one regards or values oneself in terms of accomplishments and relationships. Ngwoke stresses further that it is actually the image one has for oneself. Self-esteem is the essence of living with positivity and responding to life’s difficulties in a realistic way. Self- esteem of a person has the potential to make or break him/her in his/her personal and professional life (Aiger, 2011). An individual may have either low or high self- esteem. The consequences of low self-esteem have been implicated in low levels of achievement, depression, and other maladjusted behaviors (Ngwoke 2010).

Low self-esteem generally is the result of untoward incidents from childhood that have prompted a person to go into the shell of aloofness which usually ultimately leads to self-degradation and robs a person of self confidence and rational thinking (Aiger, 2011). Low self-esteem makes a person face life with conclusions and a negative station. It influences the feelings of people and has the implicit to beget serious consequences like extreme feelings that can lead to depression, self-murder attempts, internal and physical disorders, teenage pregnancy or indeed delinquency. In adolescents particularly, low self-esteem is responsible for violence which can beget irrecoverable and physical damages.

Low self-esteem could be blamed on such factors as background and status of the person, his surroundings, age, association with the outside world and so on. Laishram, (2011), stressed that children brought up in conditions where love and affection are lacking, feel abandoned and insignificant as they grow up. They find it difficult to trust people and mix up with them. He further maintained that parents tend to influence a child with the reflection of their unfulfilled dreams. For instance, when a child is constantly reminded that he is no good, it results in depression and the child loses his/her tone-confidence. Similar incidents produce a feeling of worthlessness, making the child pessimistic and reluctant in doing anything positive.

The manner in which parents communicate with their children could play an important part in the lives of these children. Communication enables parents and children to express their studies and passions to one another. Effective communication helps strengthen mother-child relationships and increases mutual understanding (Greg Duran, 2010). In line with this assertion, the manner in which parents communicate with their children could either make them or mar them. Laursen & Collins (2004) perceived that mother-child relationships without emotional bonds will likely breed disruption and unresolved issues during the child’s schooling period. In the light of this assertion it becomes obvious that parents who did not speak to their child about matters of interest at a young age should not expect the child to easily express his/her questions and ideas about issues of interest when that child is of age.

Socialization of children is seen as taking place within a socio-cultural environment where family patterns of communication play a pivotal role (Albert and Rosella, 2003) and two predominant patterns of parent-child communication that are likely to influence the growing child positively or negatively in their personality make up have been identified (Mcleod and Chaffee, 1972). These mother-child communication patterns are based on concept orientation and socio- orientation. For the purpose of this study, parent-child communication patterns are means through which parents and their children interact with one another for family peace and harmony. It offers parents the occasion of coming closer and reaching out to their children for a better understanding of their plights.

1.2     STATEMENTS OF THE PROBLEM

In Nigeria, the academic achievement of the in-school adolescents has been poor especially from 2008 till date. The result of the WAEC from 2008 to 2011 establishes this claim because the statistical analysis of the achievement in English language, mathematics, and biology were well indicated within the background of this study. A number of the factors that would influence students’ achievement are found by various researchers to emanate from parents, teachers, and also in-school adolescents themselves. One among these student factors is that the low tone-esteem of these students. Tone-esteem of the scholars has been linked with their academic achievement and these two are important factors for personnel development which the state needs so as to fulfill with the world challenges within the competitive society.

Evidence from some developed countries like Britain and also the United States of America tend to point that the pattern of communication adopted by parents in grooming their children may influence the students’ academic achievement at school. However, taking into consideration their different socio-cultural environments, the extent to which parent-child connection motif  could influence tone-esteem and academic achievement of the kids in Nigeria, is not yet clearly known.

The researcher’s worry then is that one does not know if these patterns of connection differ among the parents. One does not understand how the mother-child communication patterns influence the child’s self-esteem. Also one does not understand mother-child communication patterns influence the academic achievement of the child. Put succinctly in a very question form, the matter of this study is: what is the influence of mother-child communication patterns on self-esteem and academic achievement of children in Lagos,Nigeria ? This question underlies the problem of this study.

1.3  OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of the study is to investigate the influence of mother- child communication patterns (conversation or concept orientation and conformity or socio orientation) on the self-esteem and academic achievement of children in Lagos State.

Specifically, the study sought to:

1.Identify the patterns of mother-child communication adopted by their parents.

2.Ascertain the influence of mother-child communication patterns on the in-children.

3.Determine the influence of parent-child communication patterns on the children’s academic achievement.

4.Determine the influence of mother-child communication patterns on child development.

1.4  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions guided this study:

1. Does mother and child communication through provision of materials and emotional supports influences their motivation to learn and school outcome?
2. Does mother and child communication through home discussion influence their motivation to learn and school outcome?

• Does mother and child communication through home supervision influences their motivation to learn and school outcome?

1. Does mother and child communication through school communication influences their motivation to learn and school outcome?
2. Does mother and child communication through school participation influences their motivation to learn and school outcome?

1.5      SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study was delimited to investigating the influence of parent-child communication patterns on academic achievement of children. The parent-child communication patterns were based only on the patterns of family communication as found by Fitzpatrick and Ritchie (1990). These are (conversation) concepts-orientation and (conformity) socio-orientation. The parent-child communication pattern which a family uses was determined from the children’s perception.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study has theoretical significance as it lends credence to Albert Bandura’s social learning theory which sees human relationship as a basic unit of learning through observation, imitation and modeling. Parents and significant others in the child’s social life should therefore realise that the child learns more through observation and modeling. This study helps to endorse the mother-child communication pattern theory by FitzPatrick and Richie as it reveals the best pattern of communication to use for the adolescent children in order to enhance their self esteem and academic acquirement.

Equally of relevance to this study is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory which throws light on the child’s self esteem need. This study lends credence to these theories as it reveals to everybody especially parents, teachers, social workers and psychologists the significance of communicating with feelings to the child as this kind of communication increases their tone-esteem and invariably academic acquirement.

The study, when published, will be of immense benefit to parents, teachers, guidance counselors, educational planners, adolescents and psychologists. The findings of this study may be useful when published, in educating parents on the need for effective communication with their adolescent children. This could help the in-school adolescents to develop the much needed high self-esteem for a better academic achievement.

The study will enable teachers to design learning instructions that will accommodate children from the different family types. It will also help parents to identify the best communication pattern that will promote the all round development of their children.

It will assist school guidance counselors to devise a better way to handle the different behaviors exhibited by the in-school adolescents who are nurtured by parents that have used diverse mother-child communication patterns. It will also help the educational planners to develop academic programs that will suit adolescents from different family structures. The findings of this study will serve as a veritable instrument which psychologists can use to enlighten teachers, parents, guidance counselors, educational planners and adolescents themselves on the implications of the diverse communication motif.

Finally, the data generated from this study will provide future researchers with the basis for further research especially within the field of “The influence of mother-child communication patterns on child development with emphasis on self-esteem and academic achievement of children”.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation of the study. The conclusions were based on the result of the research finding.

5.1     Summary

The study on the influence of mother and child communication in the development of children covers their motivation to learn and school outcome in Akoka Lagos’. The researcher went through many procedures to carry out the investigations. The researcher made use of questionnaires to seek for the opinions of the pupils. The researcher collected data and analyzed them to reach conclusion of the findings.

5.2     Conclusions

From the findings, it is pertinent to know that pupils agreed that parental encouragements have significant motivation to learn and school outcome.

Pupil’s attributes are qualities noticeable among pupils whether negative or positive in their behavior relationship and attitude and in their responses to work among peer group.

The home environment also affects the academic performance of pupils. Educated parents can provide such an environment that suits best for academic success of their children.

It is not surprising that parental involvement pays a major role in developing patterns of higher academic achievement in children. It is important to note that through their parents’ participation, children not only gain cognitive and social development but also develop positive attitudes and behaviors, talent, personality and potential skill development.

5.3     Recommendations

On the basis of these findings on the influence of mother and child communication which covers their motivation to learn and school outcome. These recommendations were made:

1. Parents should assist their children in doing their homework for better performance in school.
2. Parents should provide as many resources as they can, in other to motivate them to learn.
3. Proper care should be applied to children and they should also be aided with their homework.
4. Pupils should be encouraged to have positive attitude towards their education.
5. Parents should be encouraged to become effective partners in their child’s education.
6. General environment both at home and in the school should be made conducive to stimulate growth and development of the child.
7. The school personnel, members of the families and communities should work on collaboration to provide quality assistance to aid pupils’ learning and development.