SUMMARY
This study set out to find out the effects of marital
instability on children in Akpawfu Town of Nkanu East LGA,
Enugu State. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire.
The sampling techniques used were multi stage sampling techiiiques, which include clusterr*sampling
and simple random sampling. The data
collected were analyzed using frequency table and simple percentage (%).
From the analysis of the data collected, it was discovered
that the causes of marital instability in the study area
include the following: childlessness, unsatisfactory sex
relations, poverty, sickness, male child syndrome, and
unwise choice of a partner. Childlessness ranked first (1st)
position with thirty-nine (39) responses, which represent 25.66%. It
was closely followed by male child syndrome with twenty-seven
(27) responses, which represent 17.76%. Poverty and sickness
ranked third (3rd) and fourth (4th) position with
twenty-five (25) responses and twenty-three
(2.3) responses which represent 16.45% and 15.13% respectively. Unwise choice of a partner ranked
fifth (5th) position with
twenty-two (22) responses to represent 14.41%. While unsatisfactory sex relations ranked sixth (6th)
position with sixteen (16) responses
which represent 10.53%.
On the basis of the effects of marital instability
on children in the study area a total of six (6) effects were
discovered. They include the following: teenage pregnancy, armed
robbery, violence, prostitution, academic performance and juvenile
delinquency, Juvenile delinquency ranked first (1st)
position with sixty-two (62) responses, which represent 40.79%.
Poor academic performance ranked the second (2nd)
position with twenty-nine (29) responses, which represent 19.08%.
Armed robbery arid prostitution ranked third (3rd)
and fourth (4th) position with twenty (20) responses representing
13.16% and sixteen (16) responses representing 10.53%
respectively. Violence ranked fifth (5th) position with fifteen (15)
responses representing 9.87%. Teenage pregnancy ranked sixth (6th)
position with ten (10) responses representing 6.58%.
Lastly, various ways to solve the problems of the effect of marital instability on children in the study area
were also discovered. They are counseling of the children of
such families, childcare and institution for children and
enlightenment campaigns. Enlightenment campaign ranked the fist (1st)
position with sixty-nine (69) responses,
which represent 45.39%. It was closely
followed by counseling of the children of such parents with forty sever (47) responses, which represent
30.92%. While childcare and
institution ranked the third (3rd) position with thirty-six (36) responses, which represent 23:68%.
CONCLUSION
The research work revealed that marital instability
has not been adequately controlled in the study area. The causes
are found out to be the following factors: bareness, male
child syndrome,
sickness, poverty, unwise choice of a partner, and unsatisfactory sex relations. To solve these problems, seminar should be organized for the couples from time to
time.
Based on the findings of this research work, it was
also discovered
that children of the affected parents suffer immensely. Some of the behaviours
that children display nowadays are due to the
kind of. home they come from. Some of the behaviours of the children from
unstable homes are
teenage pregnancy, armed robbery,
violence, prostitution and poor academic performance.
Therefore, marital instability cannot be completely avoided due to the fact that human beings are the most
complex animal to deal with. That is
to say that whenever there is two or more people living or staying together,
there most be element of disagreement
among them. So, for one to think of a completely stable co-existence of two individuals is simply an illusion. The following measures should be used to minimize marital
instability to a very low degree. First and foremost is courtship. Courtship has been existing
for generation in many cultures but with different name. It is the surest way
of reducing marital instability if not completely wiping it out if adequately carried out. Courtship is a period before the proper marriage whereby the
two persons that want to marry get to
know many things about themselves. They
learn and evaluate each other to ensure themselves that they can actually accommodate each other's
shortcomings. Secondly, marital adjustment is a very weapon for ensuring
stable marriage. This is a pattern of behaviour response, which a person utilizes to resolve perceived inadequacies.
Marital differences and conflicts are almost inevitable but it will
always be satisfactorily resolved if the couple agree or rather appreciate the
problem and make adjustive responses that
are relatively mutual.
Lastly, self-assessment and self-searching should
not be left out as a solution to this marital instability. Couple
should always examine himself/herself to find out his/her faults
and become
genuinely sorry for himself/herself.
The following measures should also be used to help
the children of "the affected parents: affected children should be counseled
from time to time, child care and institution for children
should be established and enlightenment campaigns should
be used.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In view of the effects of marital instability on
children, the following recommendations are given to help the
parents and children of the affected families.
The
government should set up marriage and family counseling centres in every town of the
state to take care of the marriage
counseling. The government should avail itself of services of social
worker and social welfare services. The government should use mass media to educate
the people. The church which is a powerful instrument that influences people should use its organs
and agents to educate their married members on the right attitude to marriage.
Young boys and girls should base their marriage on love and not on material
wealth or beauty.
This will lead to mutual understanding and respect between the partners
thus, leading to a more stable and happy home. Also, young people should take time to
study each other before marriage so that they will understand each other better. Because of the
increased rate of juvenile delinquencies in our society, parents should try to
inculcate the right attitude in their children so that they will grow into useful
citizens.
SUGGESTIONS FOR
FURTHER STUDIES.
It is very obvious
that solving one problem at hand, creates room for other problems and for this, the
researcher had to find out the effects of marital instability on children in
Akpawfu town of Enugu state. The researcher suggests that any further research on
the effects of marital instability on children should look into the following
areas;
i.
The consequences of marital instability on the society.
ii. The importance of stable marriage.
iii. Ingredients of stable marriage.
iv. Ways to overcome marital instability.
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