ASSESSMENT OF MATERNAL ATTACHMENT ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA
ASSESSMENT OF MATERNAL ATTACHMENT ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2021-04
Authors
OJETOLA, Abigail Joke
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study assesses the relationship between maternal attachment on social and emotional
adjustment of primary School pupils in South West Nigeria. Eight (8) research objectives,
eight (8) research questions and eight (8) null hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive
survey design was used for the study. The population consisted of twenty six thousand two
hundred and fifty six (26,256) primary school pupils within the age range of 7 – 10 years
from 32 schools of the three sampled state in South West Zone Nigeria. Sample size
consisted of 647 respondents that were selected through Multistage sampling techniques.
Two modified questionnaires modified on a four (4) point rating scale were used as
instrument to collect data from respondents. The first questionnaire is titled “Attachment
Q-Sort Questionnaire and the second is titled “Child Attachment Scale questionnaire.” The
questionnaires were validated by experts. Test-retest method of reliability was used to
obtain the internal consistencies of the instruments. The reliability index was obtained
through reliability statistical method and reliability coefficient of 0.754 was obtained. Data
collected were statistically analyzed using the frequency tables, mean score and Pearson
Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC). 2.50 were taken as the bench mark for
decision making. The eight (8) hypotheses raised for the study were tested at p- value of
0.05 level of significance. The tested null hypotheses 1 & 2 revealed that secure maternal
attachment had significant relationship on social and emotional adjustment of primary
school pupils while hypotheses 3 – 8 revealed that insecure attachment has significant
inverse relationship on both social and emotional adjustment of primary school pupils
within the age range of 7 – 10 years. The study discovered that the development of insecure
maternal attachment among many other factors is the lack of prompt provision of child‟s
needs with highest mean response of 3.77 and 3.77 respectively for development of
insecure attachment. Also, it was further discovered that, mother‟s failure in maintaining
physical contact with the child, weaken the social and emotional adjustments of the pupils.
The study concluded that the child has an innate need to attach to one main attachment
figure which is more important than any other (usually the mother); a breakdown of which
could lead to serious negative consequences. Some of these are lacking in the ability to
adjust socially and emotionally in the society. The researcher therefore recommended that,
Mothers and caregivers should respond to all needs (physical and emotional) of children in
their care so as to establish good reciprocal relationship that will lead the child to develop
secure attachment. Workshops and seminars should be organized by Home Economists for
mothers on the risk of unstable care giving which promotes insecure avoidant attachment
style that leads to social and emotional maladjustment
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHY IN HOME ECONOMICS,
DEPARTMENT OF HOME ECONOMICS,
FACULTY OF EDUCATION,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
ASSESSMENT,, MATERNAL ATTACHMENT,, SOCIAL,, EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT,, PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS,, SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA