PARENTAL CONFLICT AS CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA

Abstract

The study investigated parental conflict as correlate of secondary school students’ 
academic performance in Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria. The study employed 
a correlational survey research design, five research questions and three null hypotheses 
were formulated to guide the study. A total of three hundred and eighty-four students 
were drawn from the sampled schools. A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect 
data from the respondents. The first instrument was self-constructed questionnaire, titled 
Parental Conflict as Correlate of Secondary School Students' Performance Questionnaire 
(PCCSSSPQ). The instrument contains 10 items and two sections; section A has the 
personal information, B contains items on parental conflict and the second instrument is 
the academic performance of the students in English studies and Mathematics. The 
instruments were vetted through use of test-retest reliability and face and content validity 
techniques.  Reliability index of 0.72 and 0.84 for the PCCSSSPQ are found to be 
appropriate for the study.  The Data collected is statistically analyzed using descriptive 
and inferential statistics. Specifically, the research questions were analyzed using mean 
score while the hypotheses were subjected to t-test and ANOVA (analysis of variance). 
The study revealed that the level of parental conflict is low and academic performance of 
above average. It equally revealed that parental conflict does not significantly influence 
students’ academic performance and no gender bias. The study recommends that marital 
conflict should be avoided among married couple due to the hazardous effect it may have 
on the academic performance of their wards, although not significant in this study. Parents 
should make effort to resolve marital conflict before it escalates into hostilities and 
violence. Child-parent attachment should be encouraged in families, which will influence 
the academic performance of their wards.