Abstract
This study examined Marital
Conflicts as Correlates of Moral Development and Social Adjustment of Senior
Secondary School Students in Abia State. The investigation aimed to
determine the extent to which marital conflicts influence the moral and social
adjustment of students, with a particular focus on the roles played by gender
in moderating these relationships. The study was guided by five specific
objectives which sought to: assess the extent marital conflicts correlate with
moral adjustment, examine the relationship between marital conflicts and social
adjustment, determine the joint correlation of marital conflicts with both
moral and social adjustment, and evaluate the moderating effects of gender on
these relationships. A correlational survey research design was employed. The
population comprised all Senior Secondary II (SSII) students in Abia State, totalling
8,783 students. Using proportionate stratified random sampling, a sample of 878
SSII students was selected across eight schools from three education zones:
Aba, Umuahia, and Ohafia. Data were collected through three
researcher-developed instruments: the Moral Adjustment Questionnaire (MAQ),
Social Adjustment Questionnaire (SAQ), and Marital Conflict
Questionnaire (MCQ), the latter adapted from the existing Marital Problem
Questionnaire (MPQ). Descriptive and inferential statistical methods,
particularly Pearson Product Moment Correlation and linear regression, were
used to analyse the data at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed
a significant and very high correlation between marital conflicts and students’
moral adjustment, indicating that students from conflict-ridden families often
experience disruptions in moral behaviour. Similarly, a very high correlation
was found between marital conflicts and students' social adjustment, implying
that exposure to family discord can impair adolescents' social functioning and
peer relationships. Furthermore, marital conflicts were shown to significantly
and strongly correlate with both moral and social adjustments combined,
reinforcing the broader impact of familial disharmony on adolescent
development. Contrary to expectations, gender did not have a significant
moderating effect on the relationship between marital conflicts and either
moral or social adjustment. This suggests that the negative influence of
marital conflicts on student development occurs irrespective of whether the
student is male or female. The study concludes that marital conflicts are a
critical factor influencing both the moral and social adjustment of senior
secondary school students in Abia State. It recommends proactive engagement
from parents, educators, and policymakers to minimize marital conflicts and
provide targeted support systems for students affected by such conflicts.
Addressing these family-based issues could significantly enhance students’ behavioural
development and overall well-being.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
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 Questions
1.6 Hypotheses
1.7 Scope of the Study
CHAPTER
2
REVIEW
OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1
Conceptual Framework
2.1.1 Marital
conflicts
2.1.1.2 Causes
of marital conflicts
2.1.1.3 Effects
of marital conflicts on adolescents
2.1.2
Adolescence and adolescent
(in-school adolescent).
2.1.3
Moral adjustment
2.1.4
Social adjustment
2.1.4.1 Social
maladjustment and students’ welfare.
2.1.5
Gender
2.2
Theoretical Framework
2.2.1.
Jean Piaget’s theory of moral
development (1896-1980).
2.2.2 Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral
development in adolescence (1958).
2.2.3 Karl Marx social conflict theory (1818- 1883)
2.2.4 Erik Homburger Erickson’s psychosocial theory
of adolescence (1954).
2.3
Empirical Studies
2.3.1.
Empirical studies on marital
conflicts and moral adjustment
2.3.2 Empirical studies on marital conflicts and social adjustment
2.3.3 Empirical studies on marital conflict, moral
and social adjustment on gender.
2.4 Summary
of Literature Reviewed
CHAPTER
3
METHODOLOGY
3.1
Design Of The Study
3.2 Area Of The Study
3.3
Population Of The Study
3.4
Sample And Sampling Technique
3.5 Instruments
For Data Collection
3.5.1 Moral
adjustment questionnaire (MAQ)
3.5.2 Social
adjustment questionnaire (SAQ)
3.5.3 Marital conflict questionnaire (MCQ)
3.6
Validation Of The Instruments
3.7
Reliability Of The Instruments
3.8
Method Of Data Collection
3.9
Method Of Data Analysis
CHAPTER 4
RESULTS AND DISCUSION
4.1 Results
4.2 Major Findings of the Study
4.3 Discussion
of the Findings
CHAPTER
5
SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1
Summary of the Study
5.2 Conclusion
of the Study
5.3 Educational
Implications Of The Study
5.4 Recommendations
5.5 Limitation
of the Study
5.6 Suggestions
for Further Studies
References
Appendix 1: Letter to the Respondents
Appendix 11: Reliability of the Instruments
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table 4.1: Correlation matrix of relationship between marital conflicts and
moral adjustment
Table 4.2: Linear regression analysis of correlation between marital conflicts
and moral adjustment
Table 4.3: Correlation matrix of relationship between marital conflicts and
social adjustment
Table 4.4: Linear regression analysis of correlation between marital conflicts
and social adjustment
Table 4.5: Correlation matrix of relationship between marital conflicts and
moral and social adjustments of secondary school students
Table 4.6: Linear regression analysis of correlation between marital conflicts
and moral and social adjustment
Table 4.7: Correlation matrix of the relative contribution of gender on the relationship
between marital conflicts and students’ moral adjustment
Table 4.8: Linear regression analysis of the relative contribution of gender
on the relationship
between marital conflicts and students’ moral adjustment
Table 4.9: Correlation matrix of the relative contribution of gender on the relationship
between marital conflicts and students’ social adjustment
Table 4.10: Linear regression analysis of the relative contribution of gender on
the relationship
between marital conflicts and students’ social adjustment
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Over
the years, many factors have combined in affecting the moral and social
adjustment of senior secondary school students. Most of these factors include,
personality, self-esteem, ability to communicate effectively, health,
experience of stress, changes with aging, coping processes, pressure,
relationships with others, careear preparation, work and conflicts. The term
‘moral’ comes from the Latin word ‘mos’, which means ‘custom’ or ‘habit’ and it
is a transition of the Greek ‘ethos’, which means roughly the same thing, and
is the origin of the term ‘ethics’. It deals with learning what is good and
bad, what is morally accepted by the society and what is not accepted by the
society. The Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary (2022) defines moral as
relating to the standards of good or bad behaviour, fairness, honesty that each
person believes in, rather than laws. Morality has to do with the extent an
action is right or wrong. It also involves learning to do right and wrong
things (Uzoka, 2018). It is a part of which is hinged on cognitive development,
hence, as our thinking matures, our behaviour also becomes less selfish and
more caring.
Morality
talks about a particular system of values and principles of conduct. The
development of morality starts from the home. For instance, what the children
learn at home constitute part of what they exhibit as they grow and interact in
any location they found themselves such as secondary schools and the society at
large. In this respect, when the parents
live in harmony and fear of God, the children will imitate them. Values such as
respect for elders, decency or modesty in dressing, moderation, tolerance,
love, honesty and fear of God are acquired, nurtured and exhibited by children as
they grow. Contrarily, where the parents fight, quarrel, talk back at each
other, the children copy from them as well. These in no small measures affect
their morality and could lead to moral decadence or moral degeneration amongst
them, even in their adolescence, which is usually associated with a time of independence
and break down of rules (Sharon, 2016). There is collapse of values and morals
like immodest dressing, use of foul languages and lack of respect for elders
and teachers are found among senior secondary students in the present day
Nigeria. The exposition of boobs, laps, sagging of pants by both boys and girls
geared towards eliciting illegal sexual arousals is part of the negative
effects of breakdown of moral values. Many secondary school adolescents are
involved in this type of immoral dressing.
Sharon
(2016) observed that 90% of teachers cannot caution them especially in private
schools because the parents of such students are also lacking in good morals.
Uya (2015) affirms that their hair styles portray a problem. Girls wear weavons
that make them look shabby, and boys keep hairs that make them look like mad
people and unkempt. Uzoka (2018) posited that the morality of students could be
shaped by multiple factors, such as, what they inherit, where they habitually
put their attention, what actions they choose, the perceptual sensitivities and
most essentially the capacities they develop from how they were raised by their
parents as well as their social adjustments to their immediate
environment. These may suggest that
conflicts in marriages could manifest negatively in the moral decadence of
students and their poor social adjustments in the society. Adjustment is a
wider term used in various spheres of life. For example if an individual is
well adjusted in his family environment, he will be well adjusted in the
society. Egyankosh (2013), views the term adjustment as a popular expression
used by people in day to day life. Wikipedia (2022) defines adjustment as the
condition of a person who is able to adapt to changes in their physical,
occupational and social environment. In other words, adjustment refers to the
behavioural process of balancing conflicting needs, or needs challenged by
obstacles in the environment. The Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary (2022)
defines adjustment as a slight change made to something to make it fit, work
better, or be more suitable, or the act of making such a change. Adjustment
means reaction to the demands and pressures of the social environment. For
instance, when an individual comes in contact to the demands of the immediate
environment, an adjustment is said to take place (Egyankosh 2013).
Consequently, a student is said to be adjusted when he is able to adapt to the
demands of his immediate environment. Thus, the researcher sees adjustment as
the ability to adapt to new situations or conditions in any given circumstances
or the process of adapting or becoming use to new challenges.
Moral
adjustment is the extent to which individuals adjust their own sets of moral
standards and codes after encountering and engaging with characters (Grizzard
and Eden 2022). Smith (2018) defines moral adjustment as the continuous
reformulation and reinterpretation of moral theories in a given spatio-temporal
context. Sam (2013) defines moral adjustment as the gradual and progressive
acquisition of an individual’s understanding, grasping the wrong and right
principles, conscious, ethical and religious values, social attitudes and their
behaviours. In this regard, the researcher views moral adjustment as the
ability of an individual to adapt to certain moral standards and conducts
especially when one encounters an experience.
Koekemoer
(2022) carried a research on the Moral Adjustment of adolescents at the
University of South Africa and found out that there is a strong correlation between the two
factors and it can be considered to be statistically significant. Moral
adjustment is the ability of an individual to adapt to what is right and reject
wrong values. In this respect, when an adolescent is morally adjusted, there is
the possibility of being socially adjusted.
Social
adjustment is the degree an individual adapt to the challenges in the immediate
environment or engages in competent social behaviour. Jaychandran (2017)
posited that social adjustment has been considered as one of the major
contributing psychological factors in characterizing the individuals. Egyankosh
(2013) defines social adjustment as a psychological process that involves
coping with new standards and values. In the technical language of psychology,
getting along with the members of the society could be called social
adjustment. In this perspective, when an individual is not getting along well
with other members of the society, behaving in odd ways, such a person is not
socially adjusted. Some of the behaviours among secondary school students that
suggest they are not socially adjusted are: truancy, substance abuse, perpetual
struggles with school authorities, poor motivation for schoolwork and
manipulative behaviours (Smith 2018). Social adjustment of an individual such
as a secondary school student could be affected by conflicts between the father
and mother (parents) and the society. In this relation, there is need to
investigate the relationship between marital conflicts and social adjustment of
secondary school students.
Based
on this, Kemjika, Obikoya and Oluwatoyin (2017) reported that in the transition
to the senior secondary, many adolescent students are inadequately prepared for
the psychological, emotional and academic realities of life. Dibia (2014) posited that students experience
difficulties in transition from one school to the other. Most students dread
new schools (environments) and will always prefer their former schools. Such
transfer students usually fail to regain the level of adjustment they had attained
before the transfer. However, the effect of these social adjustment challenges
may have negative influence on the adolescent. This could be observed in
students who are withdrawn from the rest, those who are bossy, rude, lacking
respect, impulsive, ill-mannered, abusive and display some anti-social
behaviours like intake of drugs and substance abuse (Olasupo and Ucheoma 2015).
Conflict refers to some
form of friction, disagreement, or discord arising within a group when the
beliefs or actions of one or more members of the group are either resisted or
unacceptable to one or more members of another group. According to Wikipedia
(2017) said that Conflict can arise between members of the same group, known as
intra- group conflict, example is marital conflict, or it can occur between
members of two or more groups and involve violence, interpersonal discord and
psychological tension. Marital conflict which is intra-group conflict is also
the focus of this study.
The researcher views
marital conflict as any conflict that occurs between husband and wife as they
live out their marital lives. It is different from other types of conflict for
several reasons. For instance, marital partners are already highly emotionally
attached. These emotions can quickly intensify conflict. Again, marital
partners are involved in long-term relationships and often are required to
interact with each another daily. Moreover, marriages are often insular,
obeying their own rules and resisting outside interference (Malek, 2013). These
characteristics can lead to long, tangled, painful conflicts, (Kemjika and
Obikoya 2017).
Tolorunleke (2014)
defines marital conflicts as the state of tension or stress between marital
partners as the couple try to carry out their marital roles. At an extreme,
marital conflict can lead to divorce or domestic violence. On the other hand,
marital partners try to repress conflict, avoiding problems and detaching from
each other. These in no small measure have led to broken homes and failed
marriages which in one way or the other may affect the adjustment of their
children in the society. It has equally had great impact on the moral attitude
and behaviour towards good or bad and social adjustment of adolescent students.
Edem (2021) observed that many students are product of broken homes as evident
in their behaviours. Those students lack morality and find it extremely
difficult to adjust to the demands of their immediate environment due to
influence of marital breakdown or as a result of various marital conflicts in
the homes (Edem, 2021).
Furthermore, examples of
other marital conflicts that could be seen among couples (that could correlate
with adolescent students’ moral and social adjustment) are; fighting between
husband and wife over money and food, lack of communications in marriages,
ignoring boundaries, emotional and sexual infidelity and lack of sexual
intimacy, selfishness and disagreements, quarrelling among family members,
jealousy and boredom.
Wie and William (2014)
reported that social adjustment challenges could be made worse if an individual
is from a family that is conflict-stricken, has poor value cultivation and
insecure attachment to parents or guardians.
The
impacts of these marital conflicts on the moral and social adjustment of senior
secondary school students could be physical, psychological and social. The
physical abuses are those experienced in the form of bruises, teeth bites,
scars and swollen faces. The social abuses are in form of segregation, tribal
sentiments and verbal fights. The psychological abuses are in form of
manipulation and emotional exhaustion (Adaelu, 2020). Psychosocially, women
seem to be more affected by marital conflicts. They worry over divorce and
disappointments and they are bitter, helpless, frustrated as well devastated in
such a way that the moral and social adjustment of their children could be
affected. Gender is therefore suspected
to influence the moral and social adjustments of adolescents.
Perina
(2022) defines gender as a social construct and generally based on the norms,
behaviours, and societal roles expected of individuals based primarily on their
sex. Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and
masculinity, and differentiating between them. This may include sex based
social structures, referring to gender roles and gender identity. It refers to the characteristics of men,
women, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms,
behaviours and roles associated with being a man, woman, boy or girl, as well
as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from
society and can change over time. Generally, women and girls face greater risks
of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV,
cervical cancer, malnutrition, lower vision, respiratory infections and other
abuses in their moral and social adjustments. In line with this, The World
Health Organization on Gender and Health (2021) related that women and girls
face unacceptably high levels of violence rooted in gender inequality and are
at grave risk of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, and early
and forced marriage. Also, due to the high expectations placed on women/girls
in the society, it could lead to low moral and social adjustment.
Specific notions of masculinity may encourage boys
and men to smoke, take sexual and other health risks, misuse alcohol and not
seek help or health care as they develop and adjust in the society. Such gender
norms also contribute to boys and men perpetuating violence as well as being
subjected to violence themselves. Gender inequality and discrimination faced by
women and girls put their moral and social well being at risk. In their moral
adjustment, girls often face greater barriers than boys in adjusting to their immediate
school environment. According to World Health Organization (2021), these
barriers include restrictions on mobility, lack of access to decision-making
power, lower literacy rates, discriminatory attitudes of communities and
healthcare providers and lack of training and awareness amongst healthcare
providers and health systems of specific health needs and challenges of girls.
Thus, gender could be suspected to play some roles in the extent marital
conflict correlates with students’ moral and social adjustment.
The study would explore moral and social adjustment
of students based on gender. A cursory observation reveals that a day does not
pass without hearing one crime or the other the adolescents commit. Radio
reports show that adolescents involved in prostitution, rape, pornography,
illegal gambling, illegal drug and substance intake, fights, war, hatred and
discriminations. All these pose challenges to morality. Also we often observe
some social adjustment challenges among students; those who are withdrawn from
the rest and those who are bossy, rude, lacking respect, impulsive,
ill-mannered and abusive. As a priest, I always settle marital issues
concerning husbands and wives. Many of these issues range from lack of
communication in marriage, ignoring boundaries, lack of sexual intimacy,
emotional or sexual infidelity, to fighting about money, selfishness, value
differences, jealousy and boredom. It
is against this background that the study saw the need to investigate marital
conflict as correlates of moral and social adjustment of senior secondary
school students in Abia state.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Students at the senior secondary school level are
expected to have acquired good morals from their parents, which could be
evidenced in their mode of dressing, communications or relationships with
school mates, teachers and disengagement in unsafe activities like armed
robbery, drug abuse, violence, (bullying) among others. Unfortunately, there
has been a public outcry on the high rate of moral decadence or moral
degeneration among secondary school students especially in Abia state. Hardly a day passes without hearing about one
condemnation of the adolescents’ behaviour or the other. Violence, kidnapping,
murder, suicide bombing, armed robbery, rape, unwanted pregnancy and hatred
have become the order of the day. These in no small measures are indicators
that these students are lacking in morals. Secondly, the society is no longer
safe because of the high rate of crime the adolescents in the secondary schools
commit on daily basis. Many adolescents display behaviours that are bossy,
rude, lacking respect, impulsive, ill-mannered and abusive. Others dress
shabby, unkempt and unattractive. There is high level of truancy in schools,
cultism, intake of drugs and harmful substances and other forms of violence.
All these are evidence of social maladjustment among the adolescent students.
These
problems could be attributed to the homes where various marital conflicts exist
between their parents in the family which the young persons observe, learned
and exhibit. In relation to this, when these conflicts are unresolved, they
usually lead to broken homes and the children from such homes may become
morally and socially maladjusted which indicates that they have deep rooted low
moral values. It is in line with the afore-mentioned observations that the
researcher is motivated to find out how Marital Conflicts correlate with the
Moral and Social Adjustments of Senior Secondary School Students in Abia State.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study is to investigate marital conflicts as correlate of moral
and social adjustment of senior secondary school students of Abia state.
Specifically, the study seeks to:
1. find
out the extent marital conflicts correlate with moral adjustment of senior
secondary school students in Abia state.
2. determine
the extent marital conflicts correlate with social adjustment of senior
secondary school students in Abia state.
3. ascertain
the extent marital conflicts correlate with moral and social adjustment of
senior secondary school students in Abia state.
4. ascertain
the relative contributions of gender on the relationship between marital
conflicts and students’ moral adjustment?
5. Find
out the relative contributions of gender on the relationship between marital
conflicts and students’ social adjustment?
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
findings of the study could have theoretical and practical significance. The
findings are expected to authenticate the assumptions of the theories on which
this study is based. For instance, the theory of moral development by Piaget
(1932), thought about moral reasoning in children at the adolescence stage and
that their most effective moral learning or adjustment comes from decisional
making situations, their ability to understand what is right and wrong from
home front. Karl Max Social Conflict theory assumes that unhealthy competition
among couples fuel marital conflicts while Erikson’s Psychosocial theory has it
that adolescents (secondary school students’) social adjustment is the
acquisition of cultural values, they learn moral values from parents who
inculcate social norms into them by conditioning association with them. The
findings of the study could support these theories the study anchored on.
The result of the study
when published could be beneficial to the students, teachers, couples/parents,
curriculum planners, researchers, school administrators, psychologists and
counsellors.
To the students, the
findings of the study could open their minds towards understanding moral and
social adjustment. The ills in the moral values of students could be layed bay.
The various techniques that could be adopted in helping them adjust to
situations would help them develop into appropriate personalities that would
contribute meaningfully to both their immediate communities and the society at
large as they become more confident and stable in the society. The result of
the study could equally help students not to allow conflicts in their own marriages.
The findings of the study
could help teachers understand certain behaviours portrayed by students as a
result of conflicts from their homes, and as such treat such students with love
while correcting them. Also, every teacher is expected to have the skills to
handle the issues of moral adjustment of the students since they teach in the
school or classes that have both male and female students with moral adjustment
challenges, the study could serve as a guide in understanding and teaching
morality.
The findings of the study
could be beneficial to couples/parents. This is because, it could help couples
to resolve their conflicts and not allow their conflicts escalate to the point
of affecting the moral and social adjustments of their children.
The curriculum planners
could benefit by helping them highlight those aspects of marital conflicts that
have strong influence on moral and social adjustment of students and equally
incorporate marital conflicts in their curriculum. This could help to guide students
against marital conflicts in the future and as well help them adjust socially.
The school administrators
could benefit a lot from the findings of the study. It could motivate them to
organize seminars, workshops and other forms of training that could inculcate
in teachers the knowledge of the importance and techniques of handling children
from parents who have conflicts.
The findings of the study
could help psychologists and counsellors by serving as a guide in helping the
counsellors and psychologists design counselling programmes that could expose
them on ways of handling and counseling children who are from conflict infested
homes and how they could adjust well in the society. The findings of the study
could be significant to other researchers as they could serve as framework for
future researches in the area of the study. The literature from the study could
also give future researchers more knowledge in researching on the other areas
of the study that are very vital in restoring the lost interest on morality and
adjustments specially among adolescent students.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research
questions were raised to guide the study.
1. To
what extent do marital conflicts correlate with moral adjustment of senior
secondary school students in Abia state?
2. To
what extent do marital conflicts correlate with social adjustment of senior
secondary school students in Abia state?
3. To
what extent do marital conflicts correlate with moral and social adjustment of
senior secondary school students in Abia state?
4. To
what extent is the relative contribution of gender on the relationship between
marital conflicts and students’ moral adjustment?
5. To
what extent is the relative contribution of gender on the relationship between
marital conflicts and students’ social adjustment?
1.6 HYPOTHESES
The following null
hypotheses were formulated to further guide the study and were tested at 0.05
level of significance.
H01
There is no significant correlation between marital conflicts and moral
adjustment of senior secondary school students of Abia state.
H02
There is no significant correlation between marital conflicts and social
adjustment of senior secondary school students of Abia state.
H03
There is no significant correlation between marital conflicts and moral and
social adjustment of senior secondary school students of Abia state.
H04
There is no significant relative contribution of gender on the relationship
between marital conflicts and students’ moral adjustment.
H05
There is no significant relative contribution of gender on the relationship
between marital conflicts and students’ social adjustment.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study was delimited
to marital conflicts as correlates of moral and social adjustment of SS II
students in Abia State, within the age limits of 13 to 16 years. Available
statistics show that there are 8783 (4195 males and 4588 females) SS II class
in Abia State. (Abia State Secondary Education Management Board, 2022). They are: Aba Education zone (3,238 made up of 1424 males
and 1814 females), Umuahia Education Zone with 2895 SS II consisting of 1537
males and 1358 females and Ohafia Education zone numbering 2650 SS II students
(1234 males and 1416 females). The scope of the study examined variables
such as moral adjustment, social adjustment and marital conflicts among parents
of the senior secondary school students, while gender served as the moderating
variable.
Login To Comment