Divorce on adolescences’ schooling in Asamankese senior high school in Ghana

Abstract

This study explored divorce on adolescences schooling in Asamankese Senior High School in Ghana, the objectives examine the influence of divorce on their social and academic well-being as well as their coping strategies. This was done through qualitative approach. The population for the study was 244 adolescent students who were victims of parental divorce. The participants were part of adolescent students who took part in an outreach presentation by the researcher during his practicum in Asamankese Senior High School on the topic “coping strategies by adolescents after parental divorce” in 2019. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select a sample size of 12 for the study. The researcher made use of interview guide for the data collection exercise. In this study the data were analysed using the thematic method. The study revealed that divorce makes adolescents emotionally unstable, diminishes their academic performance and school attendance. The study also found that, adolescents who are victims of parental divorce exhibit suicidal ideation, isolation and withdrawal from friends, intolerance attitudes and a feeling of low self esteem. It is therefore recommended that, Guidance and Counselling Units of various Senior High Schools should revitalize their operations by identifying students who are victims of parental divorce and organise counselling sessions for adolescents from divorced parents. It also recommended that, form masters in various Senior High schools should carry out a comprehensive study of their students, identify changes in their behaviour and arrange counselling sessions for adolescents from divorced parents to help mitigate their challenges