PARENTALAGE AND PARITY AS PREDICTORS OF CHILD NEGLECT IN BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Literature has revealed that there is child abuse and neglect in Nigeria including Bauchi State. The study therefore examined Predictors of Parental Child Neglect of Age and Parity in Bauchi State, Nigeria. To achieve these purpose two research objectives were posed with two corresponding research questions and one null hypotheses was postulated to guide the study. The correlation research design was utilized for this study. The population for the study consisted of all secondary school students in Bauchi State (550,421). A sample size of 1549 secondary school students was drawn from the population using a multi-stage sampling procedure using appropriate techniques was used. Instrument used for this study was designed by the researcher and subjected for validation by five experts from the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Psychology, and Science Education all from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The cronbach Alpha method of reliability index of was .88. Research questions were answered using multiple-regression analysis. The ANOVA statistic was used to test hypothesis at .05 level of significance. The findings reveal that the relationship between age of parents and child neglect was very low (overall r = 0.118, P = 0.003) while Fathers’ age and PCN (r = 0.125, P = .004), mother age and PCN (r = 0.103, P = 0.009) was very low, father age and - ECN (r = 0.101, P = 0.008), and mother age and ECN (r = 0.111, P = 0.000). Fathers’ age (P-value = .000) and mothers’ age (P-value = .001) were significant predictors of medical child neglect. The Bauchi State Ministry of Education in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) should adopt the Child Abuse and Neglect Preventive Measures State wide for inclusion and implementation in the secondary schools. The Bauchi State Ministry of Education in collaboration with Ministry of Youth and Sport, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Ministry of Higher Education should lend logistic and manpower support to the secondary schools in the implementation of the Child Abuse and Neglect Preventive Measures in schools.