IMPACT OF BROKEN HOMES ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was carried out specifically to find out the commonality of students
in secondary schools from broken homes, establish whether such family background had an
effect on their school performance, and submit ways such students can be helped to improve
their academic performance. This study employed a survey design utilizing a simple random
sampling methodology. The population sample consisted of teachers and students from senior
secondary schools within Mbaitoli Local Government Area, Imo State. This approach ensured
that the selection of participants was unbiased and representative of the broader population,
thus enhancing the reliability and validity of the findings. In determining the sample size, the
researcher used 266 respondents with 259 validated. A self-constructed and validated
questionnaire was utilized for data collection, and statistical analysis was performed using
frequency tables and mean scores. The findings revealed that broken homes tend to contribute
to a negative flagging on the affected students’ academic performance. It is therefore
recommended that married people should think about the implications of the negative effect
that broken relationship can have on the emotional, academic, social, and educational
performance of their children and wards in the long and short term. The author is of the opinion
that schools should provide accessible and well-resourced counselling services with trained
and motivated professionals who can support students' emotional and psychological well-
being.