Family Structure and Academic Achievement of Female Students in the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between family composition and academic achievement among female students enrolled at the University of Calabar in Nigeria. Three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the investigation. The study focused only on female undergraduate students from all departments within the University of Calabar. A purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 240 study respondents from six faculties. The study used a survey research approach, gathering data using questionnaire titled the "Family Structure and Academic Achievement Questionnaire" (FSAA). In order to evaluate the hypotheses, a statistical analysis called an independent t-test was performed. The significance threshold was set at 0.05. The results indicated that the academic performance of female students at the University of Calabar is greatly impacted by the sort of family structure they come from, including whether they have two parents, a single parent, or a step-parent. These results suggest that governments, business organisations, and people engaged in education should take proactive measures to overcome the obstacles that impede students' academic achievement. Furthermore, it is crucial to acknowledge and attend to the distinct requirements of children from diverse household configurations. Counsellors should provide essential aid and psychological support to pupils hailing from single-parent families in order to assist them in managing emotional difficulties. Furthermore, it is essential to provide continuous education to parents on the significance of the domestic setting in influencing the development of female children.

Keywords: family structure, academic achievement, education, emotional problems