Gender Differences in the Psycho-Social Adjustment of Nigerian Single Parents.
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Date
2003
Authors
Olusakin, A.M
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
Abstract
Being married, living together as husband and wife and having children who are looked after by both parents, is the dream, pride and joy of a typical Nigerian. In fact, single parent family setting in the strict sense of the term, was formally a taboo among Nigerians. However, the increasing rate of divorce, separation and teenage motherhood has brought about this pattern of family. Headed by a man or a woman, single family system is still frown at among Nigerians. This study was carried out therefore, to find out the differences in the psychological as well as the social adjustment problems that the single mothers encounter when compared to those of single fathers. Eighty-one single parents (forty-one single mothers and forty single fathers) formed the subject of the study. The mean age of the single mothers was 34.5 years while that of the single fathers was 38 years. The two research hypotheses that there would be significant differences in the level of (1) the psychological and (2) the social adjustment of single mothers when compared to those of single fathers, were accepted. The results showed that single mothers suffer more intense psychological as well as social adjustment problems than the single fathers. The family counselling implications were discussed.
Description
Staff Publication
Keywords
Gender , Gender differences , Psych-Social , Adjustment , Nigerian Single Parents , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education
Citation
Olusakin, A.M. (2003). Gender Differences in the Psycho-Social Adjustment of Nigerian Single Parents. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research (An International Journal of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) 3 (2) 159-167