ABSTRACT
This work is an investigation into the
Effect of Child Abuse on Academic Performance and Social Development of Adolescents
in Lagos Metropolis. The study used ten secondary schools in Mainland Local
Government Area of Lagos State. The sample of the study comprised Two Hundred
(200) students, twenty (20) students were selected from each school.
Questionnaire was the main instrument used for collecting data.
Four null hypotheses were formulated to
find out the relationship between Adolescents’ Academic Performance and Social
Development parents/guardian attitude, the difference between a child abuse
trained by his/her parents and the child trained by a guardian and fourthly,
Government attitude and child abuse.
Percentage statistics was used to test
the hypotheses and analyse the data collected. The following findings were made
after the study:
a.
There is a
positive relationship between child abuse and adolescents academic performance
and social development.
b.
There is a
positive relationship between child abuse and parents/guardian attitude.
c.
There is a
difference between a child trained by his/her parents and a child trained by a
guardian.
d.
There is a
positive relationship between child abuse and government attitude.
Finally, the results were discussed
based on the review of the related literature, conclusions were drawn and
recommendations made based on the findings of the study.
Suggestions were also made for further
research.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background
of the Study
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
1.3 Purpose
of the Study
1.4 Significance
of the Study
1.5 Research
Question
1.6 Research
Hypothesis
1.7 Scope of
the Study
1.8 Limitation
of the Study
1.9 Definition
of Terms
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
2.1 Who is a
Child
2.2 Forms of
Child Abuse
2.3 Types of
Child Abuse
2.4 Causes of
Child Abuse
2.5 Effect of
Child Abuse on the Victim
2.6 Effect of
Child Abuse on the Nation/Society
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research
Design
3.2 Area of
Study
3.3 Population
3.4 Sample
and Sampling
3.5 Instrument
3.6 Validation
3.7 Method of
Data Collection
3.8 Method of
Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Hypothesis
One
4.2 Hypothesis
Two
4.3 Hypothesis
Three
4.4 Hypothesis
Four
4.5 Findings
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Discussion
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
5.4 Suggestion
for further Research Studies
Bibliography
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Child
abuse is said to be intentional acts that results in physical or emotional harm
to children. The term child abuse covers a wide range of behaviour, from actual
physical assault key parents or other adult caretakers to neglect of a child's
basic needs Child abuse is also sometimes called child maltreatment (Gelles
1993).
Although
the extent of child abuse is difficult to measure, it if recognized as a major
social problem, especially in industrialized nations. It occurs in all income,
racial, religious and ethnic groups arid in Urban arid Rural communities It is,
however, more common in some groups especially those below the poverty line
Cultures
around the world have different standards in deciding what constitutes child
abuse. In Sweden, for
example, the law prohibits any physical punishment of children, including
spanking By contrast, in some countries of Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, parents are expected to punish their children
by hitting then
There
are several different types of child abuse and some children experience more
than one form physical abuse for instance includes deliberate acts of violence that
injure or even kill a child unexplained bruises, broken bones, or burn marks on
a child may be signs of physical abase. Sexual abuse occurs when adults use
children for sexual gratification or expose them to sexual activities. Sexual
abuse may begin with kissing or fondling and progress to more intrusive sexual
acts, such as oral sex and vaginal or anal penetration. Emotional abuse
destroys a child's self esteem. Such abuse commonly includes repeated verbal,
abuse of a child in the form of shouting, threats and degrading or humiliating
criticism. Other types of emotional abuse are confinement such as shutting a
child in a dark closet and social isolation, such as denying a child friends.
The
most common form of child abuse is neglect. Physical neglect involves a
parent's failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter pr medical care to
a child. It may also include inadequate supervision and a consistent failure to
protect a child from hazards or danger. Emotional neglect occurs when a parent
car caretaker fails to meet a child's basic needs for affection and comfort.
Examples of emotional neglect include behaving in a cold, distant, and unaffectionate
way towards a child, allowing a child to witness chronic or serve spousal
abuse, allowing a child to use alcohol or drugs and encouraging a child to
engage in delinquent behaviour. Another form of neglect involves failing to
meet a child's basic education needs, either by failing to enroll a child in
school frequently.
According
to the National center on child Abuse and Neglect, in 1977 about 3 million
children in the United
States were reported as abused or neglected
to government agencies that investigate child abuse. Many researchers though,
believe that statistics based on official reports do not accurately reflect the
prevalence of child abuse. This may be due to the fact that definitions of
maltreatment vary from state to state and among agencies, making such
statistics unreliable; professionals who interact with children, such as:
teachers, day-care workers, pediatricians and police officers may fail to
recognize car report abuse; also acts of abuse usually occur in the privacy of
a family's home and often go unreported.
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
The
risk of child abuse within a family is raised by stress brought on by a variety
of social conditions. -These conditions, a larger-than-average family size,
the presence of a new baby or a disabled person in the home, and the death of a
family member. A large majority of reported cases of child abuse comes from
families living in poverty. Child abuse also occurs in middle class and wealthy
families, but it is better reported among the poor for several reasons.
Adolescent
period is a period of physiological, biological, and intellectual transition: A
period between the end of Childhood and the beginning of adulthood, it occurs
between the ages of 11 and 18 years. The World Health Organization (WHO) has
however defined adolescence as the period from 10-19 years of age. By the end
of adolescence, the child becomes physically, socially, emotionally and
intellectually mature. Adolescents everywhere experience a complex psychosexual
development involving the formulation of a sexual identity, management of
emerging sexual feelings and accommodation to cultural expectations.
As
a child develops, at every stage, certain things are required of him for
personality arid societal adjustment. Each stage car phase of human development
has a number of tasks that must he learned or accomplishes for the individual
to attain the level of maturity expected of him by his cultural group. The
skill habits, behaviour arid attitudes that must be learned for these purposes
are known as development task R J Havinghurst developed a widely accepted list
of developmental tasks for the different age levels. However, some Adolescent
developmental tasks are independence from the family; adjustment to sexual
maturation and development of good self-image, establishment of Healthy
Rolation!5hip, deciding and preparing for meaningful vocation
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLLM
A
1994 retrospective review of 1,526 studies on primary prevention of Child Abuse
found that only 30 studies were okay. 11 of which dealt with Physical Abuse;
and neglect. This means Primary prevention of child abuse such as depriving the
child of the basic children's rights such as right to life right to be
protected from indecent and inhuman treatment through sexual exploitation, drug
abuse, child labour among others affect the child's social development
Child
Abuse is observed to be more pronounced in children between the age bracket of
10 - 19 years which are of course referred to as Adolescents. By the end of Adolescence,
the child is expected to have been physically, socially, emotionally and
intellectually matured but when denied the necessary factors which contribute
to this expected maturity, his/her social development will be definitely
affected.
This
study is therefore designed to investigate the overall effect of child Abuse on
the academic and social development of Adolescents in some selected Secondary
Schools in Kosofe Local Government Educational District.
1.3 PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study is to examine the various effects which child abuse has
on Adolescents It is also on how Adolescents develop socially in spite of the
alarming rate of child abuse from both patents and caretakers Adolescents from
some selected secondary schools in Kosofe
Local Government Education Districts were also interviewed.
The
aim is also to enlighten Adolescents on how best they can cope with this
"delicate" stage of development called Adolescent and also probably
empower them as far as their social development is concerned.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The
work will in no doubt be of use to the Adolescent in the following ways:
1. They
will be able to encourage themselves in their peer groups to demand for
adequate health care, good education and so on from parents, care-takers /
guardians, government.
2. They will be able to understand that all children
are members of the same human family and that any form of discrimination is
against their dignity and integrity.
3. They will
be able to promote attitude of equality among peers irrespective of origin both
sex social political/religious beliefs, status or disability.
As
a way of protecting themselves against exploitation and inhuman treatment,
children should be able to report excessive child labour to appropriate
authorities, agencies and individuals, resist torture, should not get lured
into sexual exploitation including child marriage, that should be able to avoid
drug abuse, they should be able to try as much as possible to join campaign
enough to seek assistance from established agencies, individuals and religious
agencies when in difficult.
It
will also help in situations whereby some children are under especially
difficult circumstances like separation from parents and so on to reduce the
trauma of their situation and even adjust to normal and decent life. It will
also be significant to parents and teachers for it will give an insight into
some of the evils of child abuse
1.5 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
In
relation to the problem identified, answers were provided to the following
questions:
1 Is
there any influence of parents/guardians on the social development of adolescents
2. Is
there any effect of complex combination of personal, social and cultural
factors on the social development of Adolescent.
3 Is
there any significant difference between a child trained by his/her parents and
the same child trained by a guardian.
4. Is
there any significant relationship between caring for - a child and his/her
mental/psychological development.
1.6 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESES
Based
on the questions asked above, the following hypothesis were tested in the
study.
1. There
is no significant relationship between child abuse neglect and adolescent academic
and social development
2. There
is no significant relationship between child abuse and parents/guardian,
attitude.
3. There
is no significant difference between a child trained by his/her parents and the
child trained by a guardian.
4. There
is no significant relationship between child abuse and government attitude.
1.7 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
The
study examined the causes and effects of child abuse among adolescent students
in some selected Secondary Schools in Kosofe Local
Government Education District.
The
study is also limited to ten Secondary Schools due to finance, time factor and
inadequate literature.
1.8 LIMITATION
OF THE STUDY
Due
to time and financial constraints, the research is restricted to two hundred
randomly selected students from ten selected Secondary Schools in the Urban and
Rural Area of Kosofe Local Education District of Lagos State.
The
research work is also limited by the problem of inadequate materials/literature.
1.9 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
Terms
related to the study are defined His follows:
CHILD: According
to Ajayi (19136) A child is any human being below the age of (18) eighteen
years.
RIGHT:
According to Longman dictionary a right is what is or should be allowed by law,
it is also what is fair and good. Olayinka (1991) also defined a right as a natural
due, a moral claim and a legal entitlement.
CHILDREN'S RIGHT:
According to Encyclopedia (2005) children rights are child's survival,
Development and participation.
ADOLESCENT:
According to Motolani (2001) An Adolescent is a child between the ages of 10-19
years However the World Health Organization defines an Adolescent to be a child
between the age of 10-24 years.
CHILD ABUSE:
Encarta (2005) defines child abuse as an intentional act which harms the
physical, emotional, moral health and educational welfare of the child.
DEVELOPMENT:
Chinwe (2005) defines development as the progressive series of orderly,
coherent changes leading towards the goal of maturity, coherent changes leading
towards the goals of maturity. It is increase in ability to function. As a
child grows, he matures and develops at the same time.
GROWTH:
According to Chinwe (2005) is the physical aspect of development.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:
According to Chinwe (2005). The manner in which the Child becomes grad rally
adjusted in his patterns of relationship with and reaction to fellow men in
line with social patterns led social development Every social group has its own
pattern behaviour to which everybody must conform.
PHYSICAL ABUSE:
Physical abuse is the deliberate acts of violence to injure or even kill a
child (Gelles 1993).
SEXUAL ABUSE:
According to Chalk, Gibbons and Scarupa (2002). Sexual abuse can be said to be
the inappropriate sexual behaviour towards a child.
EMOTIONAL ABUSE: Are
the acts or the failure to act by parents or caretakers that have caused
serious behavioural, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders (Thomlison, 1997).
PHYSCIAL NEGLECT:
This is a situation whereby parents / guardians / caretakers of a child do not
provide adequate, food or clothing, appropriate medical care, supervision or
proper weather protection (heat or coats) for the child It also includes
abandonment. (Chalk, Gibbons and Scarupa 2002).
PERSONALITY:
Personality means the whole individual, his physique, temperament, appearance,
feeling, achievement, intelligence, the way the person relates himself to
others, what he wants to be and so on. (Chinwe 2005).
DELINQUENT BEHAVIOURS:
These are all sorts of behaviours committed by children or youths under the age
of 18 which if committed by adults would be considered crimes. Children within
this age bracket are believed not to have criminal intent to have committed
these offences. These behaviours by children are otherwise referred to as
juvenile crimes. Such behaviours may include truancy and parental disobedience
(Lynn and Victor 2005).
A
Child of any age, sex, race, religion acid socio economic background can fall
victim to child abuse and neglect (Thomlison 1997).
Literature
will be reviewed under the following sub-headings:
- Who is a child
- Concept of child abuse
- Causes of child abuse
- Effects of child abuse on the victim
- Effects of child abuse cart the
Nation/Society
- Strategies to t=rain child abuse
1.10 WHO IS A CHILD
A
child is any human being below the aye of 18 years (Ajayi 1986) In order to
actually study children of different age group we have to look into what we
consider Child Development. Development as earlier stated is the progressive
series of orderly coherent changes leading towards the goal of maturity. It is
increase in ability to function. As a child grows, he matures and develops at
the same time (Chinwe 2005).
Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects
FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!
+(234) 0814 780 1594
Login To Comment