Predictors of parental status among junior high school students in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya district

Abstract

The present study tested a model in which logistic regression analysis was used to distinguish students who come from single parent homes from those from both-parent homes based on the quality of teacher support and parental support, achievement ideology, academic performance and school behaviour. Data from random sample of 400 JHS students from the Awutu-Effutu-Senya district were analysed using logistic regression. The results revealed that teacher and parental support were very good predictors of parental status and those teachers discriminated against the students from single parent homes regarding the quality of support given to the students. Students’ own achievement ideology was also found to distinguish single parent students from bothparent students and that students from both-parent homes had much more positive achievement ideology than their counterparts from single parent homes. Although the students’ academic performance was also found to separate the two groups of students, this was very marginal and suggested that in fact, academic performance was not a very good predictor of parental status. Interestingly, the students’ indiscipline behaviours did not separate the two groups of students, thus suggesting that students’ from both-parent homes were just capable of exhibiting bad behaviours as their counterparts from single parent homes. I therefore recommend that teachers should be made aware of such findings and should be encouraged to give every student equal time and attention regarding their academic endeavours. Also, the department of social welfare should therefore provide support and welfare programmes for single parents. The government as well as the private sector should create more employment opportunities, give skills to the unskilled youth and also provide soft loans to skilled youth to start their own businesses. Single parents should be educated on the importance of education to the family so that they will see the need to put the education of their children above other needs. The present findings are discussed in relation to previous empirical studies. The present findings implications for Guidance and Counselling are addressed together with recommendations and the limitations.