Abstract:
The study explored the academic performance of students from broken and intact
home in senior high schools in the Nkoranza South Municipality of the Bono-East
Region of Ghana. The study was guided by the Family Deficit Model, Social
Exchange Theory and the Theory of Social Network Paradigm. The study was a
mixed method which was guided by the Sequential Explanatory Mixed Method
design. It was underpinned by the pragmatic paradigm. Multi-phase sampling and
Census techniques were used to select participants for the study. Specifically, census
was used to select participants for broken homes while multi-phase sampling
technique was used for participants in the intact homes. Questionnaire and interview
guides were used to collect data from the participants. The sample size for the study
was 646 participants. Each interview was audiotaped and transcribed verbatim and
data was analysed. The study made use of primary data obtained from students from
broken homes and intact homes. The result from the quantitative survey was analysed
with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Both
descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis. All data collected
through the interview schedule were analysed manually through the constant
comparative thematic approach (Creswell, 2009). The findings of the study indicated
that the academic performance of students from intact homes when compared to those
from broken homes (the performance of the students from the two parent family) was
higher than students from broken homes. The study unravelled that there was
statistically significant difference between parent type (father or mother absence) and
achievement of academic dreams in a broken homes. The study also found that
students from broken homes who stayed with their fathers had high academic
performance as compared to their counterpart from same home who stayed with their
mothers. Also, on whether the students‘ academic performance was affected by home
(family type) background, it was deduced that students from broken home were
affected negatively in their academic performance due to their family background. It
is recommended that the school management should encourage single-parents to
involve themselves in their children‘s academic work. This can be done through
regular meeting arranged between parents and teachers and the community members
including teachers, neighbours and all individuals who have children at the heart
should make it their responsibility to assist the children.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Social Studies Education,
Faculty of Social Science Education, Submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Social Studies Education)
University of Education, Winneba