Child abuse influences antisocial behaviour among Junior secondary school three (JSS3) students in Calabar Educational Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
to the study
Child
abuse is an issue of serious concern globally and mostly among African
countries in contemporary times. In Nigeria, it has become a burning issue of
prime importance in the media and also in the minds of the generality of
people. The main variables embedded in child abuse under study include child
labour, child sexual abuse, street hawking, child neglect, child physical abuse
and child emotional abuse.
Obasi
(2006), commenting on child abuse, states that untold stories of variety of
violence against children such as, child rituals, child genital mutilation,
torture and trading away of some children by parents or care-givers abound. The
United Nations in the universal declaration of human rights, has proclaimed
that “childhood is entitled to special care and assistance”. This was stated in
the preamble on the convention on the rights of the child (*UNICEF, 2003). It
also specified the minimum standards for the well-being of children ranging
from the most basic right of survival to the right for the development of the
child’s full potentials. Unfortunately today, childhood faces great danger
(UNICEF, 2006).
Ebigbo
(1990), reveals that the international organization (ILO), declared that not
less than ten million African children under the age of fifteen years are
abused. It is also confirmed that about sixteen million. African children of
about thirteen years, work for long hours and are being under paid (UNESCO,
2004). United Nations study in 1990, showed the following distressing figures
that 100 million children engaged in back breaking work, petty crimes,
prostitution or begging. Over 50 million children work under unsafe or
unhealthy condition, 120 million children between the ages of 6 years and 11
years are deprived of basic education. Some 3.5 million children die from
preventable or curable diseases. Some 115 million children under 5 years in
developing countries live in conditions of absolute poverty, untold number of
children are maltreated, neglected and sexually abused (UNICEF, 2001).
It
is therefore, very pathetic to observe from the study of violence against
children especially in developing countries in Africa including Nigeira, that
the homes, which ought to ensure child security, apparently also subjects
children to untold insecurity. When the home environment is deficient of a
chidld’s basic needs such as, food, shelter, love, care, education, to mention
but a few, there is the tendency that the child will develop general insecurity
leading to antisocial attitude or behavior.
Antisocial
behavior or attitude refers to behavior that is unacceptable because it does
not conform to the social standards of
the people in that given society, thereby making it difficult for the
individual to adjust properly with the members of the society generally, and in
the school system, in particular. Antisocial behaviour also refers to marital
and emotional problem that leads to unacceptable behaviour (Obasi, 2006).
Although
antisocial behaviour has many variables such as, stealing, fighting,
alcoholism, cultism, deliberate absenteeism, lie-telling and host of others. In
this research the study will be centered on the following antisocial behaviour;
bullying, alcoholism, truancy, stealing and cheating in examinations.
On
the whole, the right of a every child should be guided and protected to enhance
the security of the child. Children being the society future hope of good
leadership, deserve security by all, parents, care givers, teachers and the
government.
Consequently,
the public is being mobilized against any form of child upbringing that
interferes with the proper behaviour development of a child. Parents are called
upon to stand up to their responsibilities for their children as well as
support both the governmental and non-governmental organizations to fight child
abuse. Similarly, the researcher intends
to study child abuse and antisocial behaviour among Junior secondary school
three (JSS3) students in public secondary schools in Calabar Education zone of
Cross River State, Nigeria. Since antisocial behaviour is caused by some
environmental factors, this study therefore, attempts to find out whether child
abuse has any significant influence on antisocial behaviour.
1.2
Theoretical
framework
This
study is based on three psychological theories.
1.2.1
Bowlby’s attachment
theory and child abuse, propounded by John Bowlby (1958)
1.2.2
Interpersonal relation
theory, by Harry Stack Sullivan (1953)
1.2.3
Maslow’s hierarchy
needs theory (1954)
1.2.1 Attachment
theory and child abuse by John Bowlby (1958)
This
theory was first propounded by John
Bowlby in 1958. His studies concerned the nature and effects of maternal
deprivation of young children . he emphasizes the physical aspect of
mother-child attachment which
enhances child’s love and security, and which could have a negative
physical and social development of a child personality should the child be
deprived of it. Attachment theory facilitates the understanding that
mother-child cordial relationship or attachment helps in shaping the behaviour
of the child and his social interaction in school and in the wider society. It
is also noted that the absence of mother-child attachment is a child abuse and
may result to antisocial behaviour.
1.2.2 Interpersonal
relationship theory by Harry Stack Sullivan (1953)
This
theory was propounded by Harry Stack Sullivan, in 1953. Sullivan (1953),
maintained that the conception of an individual about himself comes from
reflected appraisals of his people on the development of the self from birth to
adolescence. His emphasis is on the influence of environmental factors in the
making and the shaping of one’s personality to his adjustment in the society.
Therefore, when the environment is characterized with several forms of child
abuse such as; child labour, child hawing, child neglect and others, the
students may experience inferiority complex or emotional disturbance which
could lead some students into antisocial behaviour like, alcoholism, stealing,
drug abuse, fighting in school and so forth resulting in poor academic
performance or school dropout.
1.2.3 Hierarchy
needs theory by Abraham Maslow (1954)
Abraham
Maslow postulated needs theory. Maslow (1954), stressed a basic drive towards
“self-actualization” as the basis of all the diverse forces which interplay
continually, creates what a person is. According to this theory, the person’s
in-born needs are arranged in hierarchy of priority. As those of one level are
satisfied, those on the next level take precedence. Therefore, when the
physiological needs such as hunger, thirst, air and so forth, are satisfied,
the needs on the next level, safety needs, press for satisfaction. This order
of hierarchy continues until the last level of satisfaction,
self-actualization, is reached. Thus, lack of adequate care, love, affection
and attention by parents or care-givers or teachers, could cause students
especially, in the junior secondary school education to be withdrawn and
isolated children which may lead to their poor academic grades or even school
drop outs. This could consequently cause the students affected to identify with
dysfunctional behaviour such as, alcoholism, stealing, fighting, examination
malpractice and so forth.
1.3
Statement
of the problem
Experience
and personal observation, has shown that students in most public secondary
schools exhibit certain behavioural tendencies which are not in conformity to
social standards. These antisocial behaviour include stealing, bullying,
truancy, examination malpractice, alcoholism and a host of others. Consequently,
the academic ambition of the students becomes truncated as majority of these
adolescent students become drop-outs from school. To those who manage to pursue
the academic programme to the end, serve come out with poor academic grades.
Apparently, students home environment such as parental illiteracy, marriage
break-down and social instability, may be attributed to such antisocial
behaviour. The environment in which children grow and develop could immensely
contribute to their proper adjustment in the society.
Ironically,
the home environment appears to be characterized with several forms of child
abuse such as child labour, child sexual abuse, street hawking, child neglect
child physical abuse and child emotional abuse, which the researcher intends to
study. Child abuse may enhance a serious psychological and emotional trauma
which could lead to a variety of antisocial behaviour which constitute the
variables the researcher is about to study. Such variables include drug abuse,
truancy, stealing, cheating in examinations and bullying in school, which may
hinder a healthy personality growth and development as well as good academic
performance among the students. Most critics however, blame this ugly trend to
be attributed on teachers poor attitude of teaching –learning process, while
others argue that parents or care-givers are to be blamed. Government
authorities both at local, state and Federal Levels as well as non-governmental
organizations have invested their efforts, individually and collectively to
check-mate these antisocial ills (Forgatch & DeGarmo, 2003).
In
spite of these efforts, the problem of antisocial behaviour still hinders among
students. Personal interaction with some students reveals that when they are
being punished verbally or physically by teachers, most of than fight back by
destroying school properties, play, truancy with their education or are seen
being hostile in school. This study has therefore, been motivated by the need
to help the society get rid of antisocial behaviour among the students through
highlighting the possible factors that encourage antisocial behaviour and
proffering solution to them. Owing to the foregoing, the problem of this
research put in question is; what is the extent and level of influence of child
abuse on antisocial behaviour among JSS 3 students in public secondary schools
in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria.
1.4
Purpose
of the study
The
purpose of the study is to examine how child abuse influences antisocial
behaviour among Junior secondary school three (JSS3) students in Calabar
Educational Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria.
Specifically;
the study intends to:
1. Find
out whether child labour has any influence on antisocial behaviour among Junior
secondary school three students.
2. Determine
the influence of child sexual abuse on antisocial behaviour among Junior
secondary school three students.
3. Examine
whether there is any influence of street hawking on antisocial behaviour among
junior secondary school three students.
4. Find
out whether there is any influence of child neglect on antisocial behaviour
among Junior secondary school three students.
5. Determine
whether there is any influence of child physical abuse on antisocial behaviour
among Junior secondary school three students.
6. Determine
whether there is any influence of child emotional abuse on antisocial behaviour
among Junior secondary school three students.
1.5
Research
questions
The
following research questions will serve as a guide to the study:
1. To
what extent does child labour influence antisocial behaviour among Junior
secondary school three students
2. Does
child sexual abuse influence antisocial behaviour among Junior secondary school
three students?
3. To
what extent does street hawking influence antisocial behaviour among Junior
secondary school three students?
4. Does
child neglect influence antisocial behaviour among Junior secondary school
three students?
5. To
what extent does child physical abuse influence antisocial behaviour among
Junior secondary school three students?
6. Does
child emotional abuse influence antisocial behaviour among Junior secondary
school three students?
1.6
Statement
of hypotheses
The
following are formulated and will be tested for this study.
1. There
is no significant influence of child labour on antisocial behaviour among
Junior secondary school three students.
2. Child
sexual abuse does not significantly influence antisocial behaviour among Junior
secondary school three students.
3. There
is no significance influence of street hawking on antisocial behaviour among
Junior secondary school three students.
4. Child
neglect does not significantly influence antisocial behaviour among Junior
secondary school three students.
5. There
is no significant influence of child physical abuse on antisocial behaviour
among Junior secondary school three students.
6. Child
emotional abuse does not significantly influence antisocial behaviour among
Junior secondary school three students.
1.7
Significance
of the study
This
study may contribute to knowledge advancement to the following; parents and
care-givers, teachers, students and policy makers/administrators. Parents and
care-givers may find this study useful because it will not only guide them
against abusiveness of their children or wards, but the need to also show them
love, care, affection, provide for their basic educational needs and respect
for the rights of children.
Teachers
as one of the key players of education, may also gain from this study as they
will be more informed about the various dimensions of child abuse and their
effects on students. Thus, teachers could be more equipped to handle students
more carefully by caring and loving them unconditionally. On the part of the
students, they may also benefit from this study since both the parents and
care-givers, teachers and policy makers/administrators may be more informed on
the need to care, love and provide for their security. This could enables them
to be more /concentrated in their studies as to become more adjusted in their
academics and their social challenges.
Policies
makers/administrators may use this study to formulate rules, so as to protect
the child from being abused which may help to create balance of concern and
learning required to raise well adjusted and happy children.
1.8
Assumptions
of the study
This
study will be guided on the basis of the following assumptions:
1. It
is assumed that individual students will give honest information concerning the
dimension and effects of child abuse.
2. It
is assumed also that child labour, child sexual abuse, street hawking, child
neglect, child physical abuse and child emotional abuse are measurable.
3. The
subjects responses to the items on the questionnaire will not be faked but true
perception of their answers.
4. It
is also assumed that Junior secondary school three students will be able to
respond to the items on the questionnaire correctly.
1.9
Scope
of the study
This
study on child abuse and antisocial behaviour is delimited to Junior secondary
school three students in Calabar Educational Zone of Cross River State,
Nigeria. The study covers the seven local government areas that constitute the
Educational Zone. The independent variables involved include: Child neglect,
child physical abuse and child emotional abuse. The dependent variable in this
study include Alcoholism, sealing, truancy, bullying and cheating in
examinations.
1.10
Limitation
of the study
Concerning
the limitation of this study, it is yet be determined as the study has not yet
been completed.
1.11
Definition
of terms
Child labour:
This has to do with the engagement of a child to a tedious physical assignment
such as carrying over load or doing some work that is beyond the age of the
child.
Child sexual abuse:
This is the act of subjecting a child to sexually related events such as, pornographic
films, discussion of sexual issues before children and so forth.
Child neglect:
This has to do with parent(s) ignoring or abandoning their children’s basic
needs.
Child physical abuse:
Physical abuse of children is defined as excessive intentional physical injury
inflicted on a child, or excessive corporal punishment of a child.
Street hawking:
A public road seller who moves from one place to another selling goods and
services to consumers.
Child emotional abuse:
This is the neglect in terms of parents or care-givers or inability to show
love and feeling for their children or wards.
Antisocial behaviour:
This sub-sums all these social vices like stealing, alcoholism, fighting,
examination malpractice, destruction of school properties and so forth.
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COMPLETE MATERIAL (CHAPTER 1 TO 5, REFERENCES AND
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