ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between parental child rearing, practices and values with children’s academic achievement. The study was carried out in case of a Esan South LGA. A mixed method approach was used to supplement the quantitative data. Qualitative data was collected through interviewing the key informants and focus group discussions, while quantitative data was collected through questionnaire surveys. The findings of the data analysis showed that the family size and parental income were not significantly related with the students’ academic achievement. Similarly, there were no significant differences in the students’ academic achievement due to the educational levels of the parents, whereas there was a significant difference result in students’ academic achievement the occupational types of the parents. Moreover, the results showed that there was a significant relationship between the variable of parental values and children’s academic achievement. This showed that parental values had a positive and significant relationship with children’s academic achievement. On the other hand, among the child rearing variables namely parental nurturance, parental responsiveness and parental control were significantly and positively related with the children’s academic achievement, whereas there was no significant relationship between the parental consistency and the children’s academic achievement.  Accordingly, it could be concluded that the occupational types of the parents were found out to be the most important underlying factors together with the proximate factors that contributed to the children’s academic achievement. Generally speaking, based on the findings of the study, conclusions were drawn; suggestions and recommendations were made for the parents, the school teachers, the community, the concerned governmental institutions and non-governmental organizations.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 1.1Background

Children’s needs and rights of survival, care and safety, protection and engagement are mostly the roles of parents and other concerned and responsible individuals. In order to implement the children’s rights through participation and involvement of the concerned bodies, for example, schools are highly demanded. These enable them to understand clearly the concepts of child care and development (Bernard, 2010; UNICEF, 2000). Furthermore, this can create conducive environment for parents who participate in children’s educational aspects. In relation to that, this paves new opportunities for children that are environmentally friendly and supportive, and they provide with adequate resources and materials in order to maintain the quality of education.

The common responsibility of child rearing is basically carried out by biological parents. In many cases, children can be grown by others or they can be adopted by people who have no biological relationships with children, for example, older siblings, grandparents, legal guardians, aunts, uncles, non-governmental organizations and societal institutions.  Adopted children receive parental care from parents with no blood relations while others may be raised in foster and care (Wikipedia, 2014).

The primary agents for children’s socialization are parents. They play essential roles, basic values and practices that enable them to encourage and develop children’s learnings. Besides, one of the most influential forces that have significant effects on child’s education is the socialization process. The most representative and agents for the  socialization process are parents., family members, schools, peers, mass medias, public opinions, state workers, volunteer groups and religious institutions. The influences of these forces can vary automatically from person to person, based on their life situations, and social class status (Perrino, undated).

As documented in the literature, “blind in optimism stunts of non-western children to empower most of the child’s and enrich the field, we simply need to accept and respect differentness” (Nsamenagne, 2006). Tudge et. al (2000) state that parental values and their beliefs about the appropriate child rearing practices contribute to shape their children’s development. Similarly, Huihua (2004) suggests that cultural and parental values help to expect desirable beliefs and goals of children. It is also indicated that parental values, beliefs and attitudes have a direct impacts on children’s socialization and education in all circumstances (Dusek, 1987).

The concept of child rearing can be defined in different research concepts; these concepts are continuous in the circumstances of changeability with the result of what was acceptable at a certain period of time (Devgan, 2010). Similarly, child rearing practices is a form of the socialization process whereby a member is trained and nurtured in  such a way that he/she would learn the way of life of his or her people in order to become a useful member of the society and this provides an opportunity for the survival of the society (Emmanuel, Akinyemi, and Nimotalai, Undated).In addition, parenting (child rearing) is the process of supporting and promoting the physical, emotional and  intellectual developments of a child from infancy to adulthood or child rearing refers to  the aspects of fostering a child  by parents other than the biological relationships and others (Wikipedia ,  2014).

According to George and Rajan (2012), most parental rearing practices may be affected by many factors such as acceptance, punishment, protectiveness, responsibility, responsiveness, reward, understanding, permissiveness, encouragement, emotional stability, control and patience. All these qualities have been found out to influence children’s behaviors.

Harris and Good (2012) indicate that parental engagements are the most significant instrument in enhancing and effecting an increasing achievement in school activities while parents and teachers work together to improve learning. They have more contributions to the achievement of children through supporting their learnings at home rather than supporting school activities and learnings within the home environments that make maximum difference in their achievements. Besides, parental involvement takes many forms including supportive parenting at home, provision of secure and stable environment, intellectual encouragement and stimulation, participatory parent-child decisions, and good models of constructive social and educational values and high aspirations   in relating to personal fulfillment and good citizenship, contact with schools to share information, in school events, in the works and the governances of the schools.

Parents expect responsive and mature behaviors from their children. Parents have also different attitudes toward their children for which some are supportive and accepting while others are neglectful (Maccoby and Martin, 1983). Furthermore, they indicate that parents have different functions and roles including providing education, protections from different problems, providing with basic necessities such as food, clothing, sleeping arrangement and other needs for their children. In addition to that, parents determine the settings in which their children spend their time and they have more engagements on their children school activities, social and economic activities. Besides,   as the literatures indicate, the researcher could get clues for the problems, for parents showed involvements in discussing and communicating with their children’s education. Many interested parents carry out follow-ups for their children so as to know and encourage their children’s academic activities. Other parents highly involve in their children’s educations, and they visit schools daily and discuss with   teachers and schools’ guidance to get advices on how they support their children to become successful on their educations.  On the other hand, parental   neglecting, not demanding, hostility, parental centered discipline and rejection are correlated with low school performance whereas parental supportive, parental responsiveness, affection and democratic relationships are correlated with effective and high children’s academic performances. In addition to that, when  students and  their parents  have  a democratic and supportive relationship, the students  show   high levels of competence and adjustment, and  they achieve  higher than their peers from non-democratic parents (Maccoby,1980and Schaefer,1965).

In relation to the parental practices and their roles, Tilahune (2002) indicates that parents may play significant roles through follow-ups with hard controlling or accepting, child center or parental center, participatory   or rejecting parental rearing practices.  These kinds of parental characteristics are usually found out to influence students’ school work and personality characteristics. Similarly, Jacobs, et al (1998) indicate that parents who believe in controlling their children in hard manners appear to give them less decision autonomy and become more involved in school works, but the children have less academic achievements. Besides, Tilahune (2002) states that parental educational status and child academic performances did not emerge significant contributions. On the other hand, Steinber et al (1992) indicate that parental education has a significant contribution to child academic achievement. Moreover, Jacobs et al (1998) indicate that parental socio-economic background significantly influences students’ academic performances. Similarly, TenibiaJe (2009) indicates that family structure in terms of single and two parent families has a significant influence on the students’ academic performance and mental development, because they provide supportive learning environments that require

parents’ time as much as financial resources. Moreover, children whose parents have better jobs , higher economic status and who have interest in helping their children to achieve higher levels of   educational performances  at  home have  great influences on the child’s social, psychological, emotional, and economic status( Ushie et al., 2012).

In the Ethiopian context, studies have been done on the influences and contributions of child rearing styles and practices on children’s academic achievement (as it can be seen in Markos, 1996; Tilahune, 2002; Elias, 1999; Seleshi, 2000; Sentayehu, 1998). According to Markos (1996), parenting style and academic achievement have a significance relationship. Elias (1999) also indicates that delinquency and parents’ rearing practices would have a relation with children’s autonomy and social responsibility. Similarly, parents’ follow-up to their children or students through accepting in participatory manners in helping them to become effective on their academic performance (Tilahune, 2002). Even though the above studies try to investigate the contribution of parenting methods on children’s academic achievement, there did not investigate the relation and contribution of cultural and parental values to the children’s academic achievements in the Ethiopian context. However, there was no study on child rearing practices and values on children’s academic achievement in the given local context. Particularly in this study, therefore, the present researcher was initiated by the research gap relevant to the local contexts to study the influence of child rearing practices and values on children’s academic achievement among the Rayan-Alamata community in Tigray Region, Ethiopia.

1.2 Statement of the Problem 

Tudge et al (2002) stated that parental values and their beliefs about the appropriate child rearing practices contribute to shape their children’s development. Similar results were reported by Dusek ( 1997) that shows parental values, beliefs, practices and attitudes have a direct influence on children’s education. Similarly, parental basic beliefs and practices encourage the educational performances of children’s (Perrino, undated).

In contrast to the above findings, According to Vanas et al (un dated) indicates that, an in imbalance parent child structure and in appropriate response results in children behavioral problems and in effective. Moreover, Jamis, et al (1998) indicates that parents are hard control to their children become more involved in education but the children has less academic achievement.

In the Ethiopian context, studies on the influence of parenting practices/styles on academic achievement (Tilahune, 2002; Elias, 1999; Markos, 1996). Tilahune (2002) stated that, parental follow up and controlling directly and indirectly through mental adjustment influenced children’s academic achievement. Similarly, Markos (1996) indicates that parental rearing style and academic achievement of children’s have significant relationship. However, there is no study in the local context that investigate the influence of cultural, parental values and child rearing practices on children’s academic achievement. Hence, this study attempt to bridge this research

gap. The study attempts to answers the following basic questions;

1.What is the influence of parental demographic variables on children’s academic                    achievement?

1.1 Are parental income and family size significantly correlated with children’s academic          achievement?

1.2 Are there   significance differences in children’s academic achievement as a function of                parental occupation, and parental education?

2. Are parental values significantly correlated with children’s educational achievement?
3. Are parental child rearing practices such as, nurturance, responsiveness, consistency, and control significantly correlated with children’s academic achievement?
4. Are parental involvement significantly correlated with children’s academic achievement?

1.3 Objective of the Study

The general aim of the study was to investigate the relation and influence of cultural and parental values and child rearing practices on children’s academic achievement of Raya -Alamata community. More, specifically, this study intends to;

• See the relationship between parental income and family size with children’s academic achievement.
• Assess to what extent the parental occupation and parental education have influence on children’s academic performances.
• Examine the relationship between parental values and parental child rearing practices with children’s academic achievement.
• Examine the relation between parental involvement in education and children’s academic achievement.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The purpose of this study was to provide insights to stakeholders, and parents to understand and involve in the contribution of child rearing practices and parental values in order to care and protect children and also try to create supportive environment in their school life. Moreover, the outcomes of this study would be useful to parents in contributes as to what sound measures would be taken in growing their children in order to promote their education. The findings of this study would also help as in puts for the fields involved in child study in accordance with the Ethiopian environmental and cultural context rather than western based contexts that could not hold true to the Ethiopians context. So that this kind of finding will be potential to provide relevant Ethiopian information to child study in developmental psychology. The study would also be to provide contextualize information for various stake holders be organizations or individuals that involved in child care and also be  provide information for policy makers to design sound policies for the country in children rights to treat, and educate, to grow so on.  

1.5 Delimitation of the Study

This study focuses on the influences of cultural value, parental values, and child rearing practices on children’s academic achievement among the parents of a Esan South LGA.

1.6 Limitation of Study

One of the limitations for this study was that a few respondents could not be able to return the filled questionnaires in that the researcher had to go to their houses in order to get them.  This problems were tiresome and time consuming that i could allocate these wastages for other activities the study.

 

 Effect Of Child Rearing Practices And Its Consequences On Students In Some Selected Communities In Esan South East Local Government Area Of Edo State

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