1.1 Introduction
A broken home refers to a family situation in which the normal relationship or living arrangement between parents has been disrupted through separation, divorce, death, prolonged conflict, or other circumstances that prevent both parents from living and functioning together as a family. The home is the first environment where a child receives care, guidance, discipline, and basic social training. Therefore, changes in the family structure may influence a child's emotional development, education, and behaviour. Research shows that family disruption is associated with changes in children's academic performance and behavioural adjustment, although the effect differs from one child to another (Lansford et al., 2006). Children's education involves their participation in school, learning activities, academic performance, attendance, motivation, and general progress (Sun & Li, 2009). However, the effect of a broken home is not the same for every child, since factors such as the quality of parenting and support available after family separation may influence how children adjust.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the aim and objectives of the study. Others are significance of the study, scope of work, research hypothesis and questions, limitation of the study and definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The idea of the family as the main foundation of a child's development has existed for many generations. Traditionally, children were raised within family structures where parents, relatives, and other members of the community shared responsibilities for care, discipline, and education. As societies developed, however, families increasingly experienced separation, divorce, death of a parent, prolonged marital conflict, migration, and other circumstances that could disrupt the normal family structure.
A family is the first social environment in which a child receives care, protection, discipline, emotional support, and guidance. A broken home generally describes a family situation in which the relationship or living arrangement between parents has been disrupted through divorce, separation, death, prolonged conflict, or other circumstances that prevent both parents from functioning together in the home. According to Lansford (2009), parental separation may affect several areas of children's development, including academic achievement, emotional adjustment, behaviour, and relationships.
Lansford et al. (2006) reported that the timing of parental separation was related to different patterns of internalizing and externalizing problems as well as academic grades. In simple terms, some children may become withdrawn, aggressive, disobedient, emotionally unstable, or less interested in school when they experience family disruption. On the other hand, children respond differently to broken homes, and the presence of caring parents, supportive relatives, teachers, and other responsible adults may help reduce negative outcomes.
The effects of a broken home may depend on what happens after the family separation. A child who remains under the care of a supportive parent and receives regular supervision may adjust better than a child who experiences neglect, constant parental conflict, financial hardship, or lack of guidance. As cited by Lansford (2009), factors such as interparental conflict, income, parenting practices, and parental well-being help explain differences in how children respond to divorce.
Similarly, school environment and teacher support may influence how children cope with family difficulties. A child experiencing problems at home may require additional encouragement, understanding, counselling, and academic guidance from teachers. Supporting this position, recent Nigerian research by Gidado and Zubair (2025) reported significant relationships between broken homes, personality-related difficulties, and academic performance among senior secondary school students in Abuja.
In Nigeria, where the family remains an important source of social and educational support, examining broken homes is relevant to the improvement of children's welfare and school experiences. A better understanding of how family disruption affects education and behaviour may provide useful information for developing appropriate counselling, parental guidance, and school-based support. The study therefore focuses on the effect of broken homes on children's education and behaviour, with attention to how family instability may influence their academic participation, performance, social interaction, discipline, and general conduct. This study is set against the backdrop of the need to understand the educational and behavioural experiences of children from broken homes and the support required to help them achieve positive outcomes.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that broken homes, resulting from separation, divorce, death, or persistent conflict between parents, often affect children's education and behaviour. Children who experience unstable family relationships may find it difficult to concentrate on their studies, attend school regularly, or perform well academically. On the other hand, lack of parental support and proper supervision may also make children feel neglected and lose interest in school activities (Amato, 2010).
Furthermore, children from broken homes may develop behavioural problems such as aggression, withdrawal, disobedience, poor discipline, and lack of interest in school. These behaviours may arise from emotional difficulties, reduced parental attention, or changes in the child's living conditions. In addition, not every child from a broken home develops negative behaviour, as the level of parental care, support, and stability available to the child also matters (Lansford, 2009). It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to examine the effect of broken homes on children's education and behaviour.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this study is to examine the effect of broken homes on children's education and behaviour. The specific objectives of this research are to:
- Examine the effect of broken homes on children's academic performance.
- Determine the effect of broken homes on children's school attendance and participation.
- Examine the behavioural problems associated with broken homes among children.
- Determine the effect of reduced parental supervision on children's education and behaviour.
- Identify the major challenges faced by children from broken homes in their educational and behavioural development.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What effect do broken homes have on children's academic performance?
- What effect do broken homes have on children's school attendance and participation?
- What behavioural problems are associated with broken homes among children?
- What effect does reduced parental supervision have on children's education and behaviour?
- What are the major challenges faced by children from broken homes in their educational and behavioural development?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Broken homes have no significant effect on children's academic performance.
- H1: Broken homes have a significant effect on children's academic performance.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Broken homes have no significant effect on children's school attendance and participation.
- H1: Broken homes have a significant effect on children's school attendance and participation.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: Broken homes have no significant relationship with behavioural problems among children.
- H1: Broken homes have a significant relationship with behavioural problems among children.
Hypothesis Four
- H0: Reduced parental supervision has no significant effect on children's education and behaviour.
- H1: Reduced parental supervision has a significant effect on children's education and behaviour.
Hypothesis Five
- H0: Challenges associated with broken homes have no significant effect on children's educational and behavioural development.
- H1: Challenges associated with broken homes have a significant effect on children's educational and behavioural development.
1.7 Significance of Study
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the outcome will provide clear information on how family disruption affects children's education and behaviour. The study will also provide teachers with useful information for recognising academic and behavioural difficulties among children from broken homes.
Furthermore, the findings will assist counsellors in providing appropriate guidance and support to affected children. It will also provide school administrators with information for planning appropriate support for children experiencing family disruption.
Lastly, the study will serve as a useful academic reference for researchers and students interested in family structure, education, and child behaviour.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the effect of broken homes on children's education and behaviour in secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study covers children's academic performance, school attendance and participation, behavioural problems, parental supervision, and challenges associated with broken homes. The study is limited to selected secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Broken Home:
A broken home refers to a family situation in which the normal living arrangement or relationship between parents has been disrupted through separation, divorce, death, or other circumstances that prevent both parents from living together.
Children:
Children are young persons who are still developing physically, emotionally, socially, and educationally and who depend to a considerable extent on adults for care and guidance.
Education:
Education refers to the organised process through which children acquire knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and other abilities needed for personal and social development.
Behaviour:
Behaviour refers to the way a child acts or responds to people, situations, rules, and expectations at home, in school, and within the wider society.
Academic Performance:
Academic performance refers to the level of achievement a child records in school through tests, examinations, assignments, class activities, and other learning tasks.
School Attendance:
School attendance refers to the regularity with which a child is present in school and participates in scheduled academic activities.
Parental Supervision:
Parental supervision refers to the monitoring, guidance, encouragement, and control provided by parents to support a child's education, safety, and behaviour.
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