BROKEN HOME: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

BY

MUHAMMED AGEDE YAHAYA

MAT NO: NSU/SS/PGD/005/11/12

LONG ESSAY

SUBMITTED

TO THE

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY, KEFFI

SUPERVISOR

DR. OGWU A.

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD

OF POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN PSYCHOLOGY

DECEMBER, 2012

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ABSTRACT

The problem of broken homes and its effects both on the particular family
and the society have doubtlessly continue to place considerate burden on
the individual, the family, the community and the society at large, as they
have seriously constituted clogs in the wheels of national development and
survival. Broken home produce children deprived and denied of quality
education, adequate parental care and wider opportunities, and
consequently, must times turn out to be social deviants and delinquents
with constitution of nuisance in the society as their major stock in tread.
Therefore, the center crux of this study is to explore extensively the
problems of broken homes and its effects on the family and society with the
aim of educating the readers on the menace of this phenomenon. The
study will also make recommendation on how best the society can assist in
checking the continue occurrence of the incident of broken home.

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INTRODUCTION

The family is the child first place of contact to the world. The child as the

result acquires initial education and socialization from parents and other

significant persons in the family. Agulanane (1999) pointed out that the

family lays the Psychological, moral and spiritual foundation in the overall

development of the child. Structurally, family/homes is either broken or

intact. A broken home in this context, is one that is not structurally intact, as

a result of divorce, separation, death of one parent and illegitimacy.

According to Frazer (2001) psychologically home conditions arises mainly

from illegitimacy of children, the label of adopted child, broken home, and

parent deprivation. Such abnormal conditions of the home are likely to have

detrimental effect on the development of the child.

Family environment according to Levi-straus is a group manifesting

organizational attributes, finding its origin in marriage (i.e. husband and

wife), and children, including other relatives or kin group, united by moral,

legal, economic, religions prohibitions, as well as socially patterned feelings

of love affection, attraction, piety and care etc: regulation of sexual

intercourse among its members and relatives.

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Family environment which can be broken or intact exert a directional

influence on behavior and personality development of a child. Children from

broken home are at great risk in terms of Psychological problems. This is

supported by the report of London institute of Psychiatry (2008) which

pointed out that people from the broken homes are more prone to psychotic

illness in which schizophrenia. This is mental illness in which a person

becomes unable to link thought, emotion and behaviors leading to

withdrawal from reality and personal relationships.

Every society across the globe has its peculiar problems and challenges.

Nigeria indeed is not an exception. As a developing country, she faces her

own share of social, political, economic and cultural problems, which have

in no small way adversely affected the well-being of the populace. One of

such problems is the increasing rate at which homes break-up, which in

consequence has contributed immensely to the country's problem.

The problem of broken homes and its effects both on the particular family

and the society have doubtlessly continued to place considerable burden

on the individual, the family, the community and the society at large, as

they have seriously constituted clogs in the wheels of national development

and survival. Broken homes, for instance, usually produce children

deprived and denied of quality education, adequate parental care and wider

4
opportunities, and consequently, most times turn out to be social deviants

and delinquents, with constitution of nuisance in the society as their major

stock in trade.

It follows therefore, that the prevalence of broken homes in the society is

undoubtedly the topmost social problem, much akin to delicate cancer in

the reproductive system of a pregnant woman and thus, needs a complex

surgical operation as a matter of exigency and expediency, so as to make

the problem a foregone issue. This is in view of the truism that the family is

the bedrock of the society, such that if it falls apart, the society generally

heads for the rock of social and cultural decline.

The severity of the issue of broken homes in the Nigerian society especially

in recent times has continued to bug the minds of concerned Nigerians to

the extent that successive theologians, social reformers, academicians,

moralists and even the various levels and agencies of government have not

relented in their concerted effort to variously find a lasting solution to the

menace, but inspite of this, the problem has persisted.

The word "home" naturally connotes good in virtually all societies, but that

is only when rightly applied to a man with the intention of starting a family,

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marries a wife and subsequently begets children to whom he shows due

love and care. It is a most deserving and rewarding situation, naturally

breeding happiness in the particular family and amongst friends, relatives

and well-wishers. For Christians, it is the manifestation and fulfillment of the

Biblical and divine injunction, "…a man shall leave his father and mother,

and cleave to his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh; so then they are

no more twain, but one flesh." – (Mark 10: 7 – 8). However, when the word

'broken' precedes the 'home', it becomes an epitome of bad omen, an

undesirable evil and is usually frowned at by friends, relatives, well-wishers,

the community or the society because of its perceived and manifest

consequential hazards. To Christians, it runs contrary to the Biblical

injunction, "What therefore God has joined together, let no man put

asunder" – (Mark 10:9).

The prevalence of broken homes in the Nigerian society is traceable to

since after the Nigerian civil war owing to obvious socio-economic factors.

It is this prevalence that gave the phrase, 'broken homes' its household

domination of socio-academic pursuits since the period. This term is a

regular occupant of Psychology, Sociological and Family Law Journals, as

it has become part of everyday language. Specifically, lots of families,

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villages, towns, cities and communities have often witnessed cases of

broken homes on daily basis. The initial reaction was that people helplessly

watched homes collapse, the only assistance available to such families

being in terms of financial help and advice to the most affected spouse and

children from friends and relations alike. The persistence of the problem

has led to the enactment of laws and initiation of policies both customary,

moral and positive laws to combat the problem, a typical example being the

Marriage Act, CAP 115, Law of Federal Republic of Nigeria L.F.N. 1990.

The inability of the adoption of this system to resolve the problem has led to

the evolution of a philosophy and technique of helping people in such

problems through a more careful analysis of relationships and motives to

discover the causes of the problem and to utilize the increased flexibility

and procreative powers latent in human nature in the resolution of the

problem. Despite all these, the problem still obtains and this situation is

regrettable, especially when the fact is considered that this embarrassing

occurrence prevail at a period when the country is clamoring for a better

society built on solid families. In recent times, the increasing awareness

and influence of foreign culture has led to the evolution of a new trend of

social morality which sees couples increasingly the break-up of their homes

as normal and as their own private affairs rather than any other person's

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business. To such, the dissolution of the marriage is a prerogative despite

the fact that such course of action entails grave and negative implications

on both the family concerned and the society in general. Such people end

up finding themselves entrapped by the harsh realities of life and

unfortunately for some at this point, the situation is pitiably irredeemable.

MEANING AND DESCRIPTION OF A BROKEN HOME

Many people have different definitions of what a broken home is. Every

definition matters. To Colcord (1919), a broken home is a home in which

one of or both parents have been removed by death, divorce, desertion,

separation of prolonged absence. Polanen (1990) maintains that although a

broken home is usually taken to mean a home where one parent has been

by certain cause, a home can still be broken with both parents present. She

argues that if there is no communication, interaction or investment in each

other's lives by the couple, the home is broken and becomes a house with

roommates.

From the above, it follows that a home is deemed to be broken when the

couple that constitute it (i.e. husband and wife) cease to live together

functionally as an integrated unit, whether or not they physically live

together. In such a home, the chain of communication and interaction that

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should exist between the members of the family as a single, integrated unit

is relatively non-existent. The parents cannot just get along, and the

children live in a world of their own.

This lends credence to the view of Saheed (1988) when he opined that a

broken home consists of a family whose members are separated or

divorced. It consists of a family sundered by divorce, separation or

desertion of a parent(s).

Owens (2000) maintains that a broken home may be classified either by

the degree of disintegration existent in it or by the duration of the

disintegration. Under the first mode of classification, the breakup of a home

may be partial or complete. Partial breakup of a home refers to a situation

where the members of the family continue to cohabit although the

machinery for the function of the home as a single, integrated unit has

ceased to exist. Thus the members of the family physically live together

while functionally, they no longer live or exist as a family. Conversely,

complete breakup of a home refers to a situation where the family ceases

to live together both physically and functionally.

Under the second mode of classification, he argues that the breakup of a

home may be temporal of permanent. Temporal breakup of a home refers

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to a situation where the adverse condition of the home is expected to last

for a fixed or determinable period of time. This is typical of cases of judicial

separation or separation by agreement simplicities. Conversely, permanent

breakup of a home refers to a situation where the adverse condition of the

home is expected to last in perpetuity or indefinitely. This is generally

typical of cases of divorce.

Margaret (1918) argues that before the home is broken, the individual

members of such home are first broken or wrecked. This characterization

does not necessarily mean a physical or mental wreck (although it may

include same), but refers to bankruptcy in health, hopes, prospects etc for

the time being. She maintains that they lack the power or will to dominate

adverse conditions, allowing same to overcome them. They may not even

as individuals be conscious of their own share or contributions towards the

difficulties in which the family finds itself, but are aware that something has

seriously gone wrong. Once this obtains, the home evolves to the stage of

breaking-up.

CAUSES OF BROKEN HOMES

From the definition of a broken home as given by Colcord (1919), it is

imperative that a home may be broken in any of the following five ways, viz;

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death, divorce, desertion, separation or prolonged absence of either or both

parents. These indices will be analyzed seriatim:

1. DEATH:

The death of a parent(s) may lead to a broken home. This is usually the

case where the deceased member is the backbone of the home.

Bosanquet (1906) contends that the death of the breadwinner of the home

usually ushers in a plethora of problems and difficulties which if not

promptly and properly addressed may tear the home apart.

Supporting this view Colcord (1919) contends that such a member of the

home being the fulcrum on which the functionality and continuity of the

family as a homogenous and integrated unit revolves, the family will cease

to function continuously and continually on the demise of such a person.

The home ceases to function continuously when the balance maintained in

its affairs wears out and it can no longer independently sustain its members

on individual basis having lost the capacity to provide for their economic,

social, psychological, intellectual and moral needs. The home also ceases

to function continually when as a result of the aggregation of the

unresolved problems of its individual members as highlighted above; it can

no longer sustain itself as a single, integrated unit capable of independent

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co-existence with other families without such problems.

When this situation obtains in any home owing to the death of any of the

parent(s), which situation would not have occurred but for the demise of

such person, the home is deemed to be broken. It will not be unusual to

see members of such families seeking alternative measures to cushion the

effect of such occurrence towards the resolution of their problems.

2. DIVORCE

Garner (2005) defines divorce as "the legal dissolution of a marriage." This

implies that the concept of divorce comes into play when the mechanism

and machinery of the law is set in motion towards the dissolution of the

legally recognized union of a man and woman, otherwise called marriage.

This lends credence to the fact that most times, it is referred to as marital

dissolution or dissolution of marriage. Hornby (2006) sees it as the legal

ending of a marriage.

In further expatiation of this view, Thomas & Henry (1985) argue that

divorce may be classified either by the institution from which it was

obtained, or by the extent or degree of dissolution obtained. Under the first

mode of classification, divorce may be in form of Legislative Divorce or

Judicial Divorce. Legislative divorce refers to the legal termination of a

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particular marriage brought about by an enactment made by the legislature.

Here, the particular marriage is terminated owing to a legislative enactment

to that effect. This is also referred to as Parliamentary Divorce and was

mostly obtainable in the past, having become obsolete. Conversely, judicial

divorce refers to the legal termination of a particular marriage as decreed

by a court of competent jurisdiction. This form of divorce is commonly

obtained nowadays.

Under the second mode of classification, divorce may be in form of Divorce

a mensa et thoro or Divorce a vinculo matrimonii. The former is a Latin

maxim which literally means divorce form board and hearth and refers to a

partial of qualified divorce by which the parties were separated and allowed

or ordered to live apart, but remained technically married. Supporting this

view, Bumpass et al (1995) contends that it was the forerunner of modern

judicial separation.

Conversely, the latter is a Latin maxim which literally translates to divorce

from the chains of marriage and refers to a total and complete divorce of

husband and wife, dissolving the marriage tie and relieving the parties

wholly from their matrimonial obligations. Again supporting this view,

Bumpass et al argues that in certain instances, this type of divorce

13
bastardized any children from the marriage especially on reasonable

grounds that existed before the marriage.

The implication of divorce on a marriage cum family is that legally, it ceases

to exist and since the institution of marriage is the backbone on which the

home is built and sustained, there is no gainsaying the fact that on its

dissolution, the home breaks apart.

3. DESERTION:

The desertion of the home by either parent(s) may lead to its breakup.

Implicit in the definition of desertion as given by Hornby (2006) is the fact

that it refers to an abandonment of the home without help or support.

Credence is lent to this view by the position of Garner (2005), stating that it

is the willful and unjustified abandonment of a person's duties or obligations

especially to a spouse or family.

In further expatiation, Nock (1995) maintains that there are three forms of

desertion, viz: constructive desertion, criminal desertion and obstinate

desertion. Constructive desertion refers to a situation where a spouse is

forced by the conduct of the other members of the family to leave or

abandon the home. This usually occurs where the action of the offending

spouse is so grave and serious that the deserting party finds continuation in

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the home to be unendurable or even dangerous to his or her safety and

well-being, and finds it necessary to seek safety outside the confines of the

home.

Criminal desertion refers to a situation where a parent(s), without just

cause willfully fails to provide towards the care, protection and support of

the other members of the family as he or she was wont to do. Obstinate

desertion refers to a situation where a spouse persistently refuses to return

to the home, or to his or her duties and obligations to the family. If either

spouse indulges in the last two forms of desertion, it is enough ground for

the other to seek a divorce.

Morgan et al (1987) maintains that desertion is distinct from divorce in that

divorce naturally applies only to married couples whereas; any member of

the family is susceptible to desertion. Also, if the deserting member is either

spouse, he or she does not usually consider absence from home or

abandonment of duties and obligations as final and definite such as in

divorce.

Since desertion involves the jettisoning or abandonment of the home

and/or duties and obligations to the family by a member of such family, this

invariably wears out the bond of confidence, dedication and faithfulness

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that ordinarily should exist between the members of the family and thus,

brings about the breakup of the home.

4. SEPARATION

This strictly applies to a married couple. According to Hornby (2006), it is a

decision that a husband and wife make to live apart while remaining

married. This view is supported by Garner (2005) stating that it is an

arrangement whereby a husband and wife live apart from each other while

remaining married by mutual consent.

From the above views, it is safe to infer that there exists a difference

between divorce and separation. While divorce usually involves the

employment of the instrumentality of the law towards the dissolution of a

marriage, separation merely involves a mutual agreement between the

particular couple to stay apart. Where such arrangement is made by the

court with the consent of the couple, it is referred to as judicial separation.

Where the couple so decide to stay apart although they remain legally

married, this invariably exposes the family to several vices and problems

which may culminate in a broken home.

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5. PROLONGED ABSENCE:

Colcord (1919) maintains that the prolonged absence of a member of the

family invariably leads to a broken home. This is predicated on the fact that

such a member, one way or the other ceases to contribute his quota

towards the economic, psychological, social, intellectual and moral

development of the family due to prolonged absence. The vacuum created

by the absence of such a person lays the foundation for the intrusion of

several vices and problems into the home which if unchecked, will on the

long run disintegrate the home.

6. DIFFERENCES IN BACKGROUND

Margaret (1918) opines that even though both man and woman come from

good homes, if these homes are widely and radically different in standards

and in cultural backgrounds, strains may develop in later life between the

couple. Differences in race, religion, and age are recognized as having a

causative relation to the problem of broken home.

Thorton (1991) in supporting this view, contends that in about 28 percent of

the cases where the facts were ascertained, the husband and wife of a

broken home were of different nationality; in 27 percent of the cases where

the facts were ascertained, there were differences of over six years in age

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between the two; and in about 19 percent of the cases where the facts

were ascertained, there were differences in religion between the two.

Other differences which should find mention in under this head are those

that arise when environment is changed due to immigration. Colcord (1919)

states that were either of the spouse moves out of the family's place of

domicile and travels to another location either temporarily or for a fixed

period, the spouse is more often discovered to have outgrown the other in

reasoning indices and behavior. She further argues that the handicap is not

wholly overcome when the couples relocate together, since different people

possess different senses and propensities of perception of the environment

around them and different rates of adaptation to same. Thus, it is not

altogether unpopular to hear the saying that girls who have been in urban

cities for long do not make good wives; that a man who wants to marry had

better send for a girl from the countryside; and such marriages seem on the

whole to turn out well compared relatively with marriages between the "city-

girl" and a "country-husband".

7. WRONG BASIS OF MARRIAGE

Included here should be the hasty marriages, mercenary marriages,

marriage entered into unwillingly after pregnancy had occurred, as well as

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marriages where coercion was a factor, as well as other reasons.
Polanen(1990) maintains that where either of the spouse was coerced into
the marriage by parents or relatives, such marriage usually is deemed to
wreck on the long-run.

Margaret (1918) contends that it is not uncommon to see females dating a

man who ordinarily, they will not want to marry. Where pregnancy results

from such amoral affair and one way or the other, the lady ends up with the

man as his wife, such marriage tend to breakup after a while. Bumpass et

al (1995) while supporting this view, opines that the reason for same is that

there is complete absence of the underlying bond which should exist

between married couples.

To Colcord (1919), where there has been sexual relations before marriage,

unless the custom of the particular society permits such intimacy, there is

likely to develop jealousies, quarrels and ill-feelings. "He is always casting it

up at me, but sure, it was him who is to blame" remains a version of the

age-old story.

There should also be included here those irregular unions called customary

marriages which is allowed virtually throughout the globe. Thomas & Henry

(1985) contend that the protection supposed to be afforded to the woman

by this institution is merely fictitious, as it is practically impossible to secure

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conviction for bigamy. If the man deserts, he may admit the wife's claim

upon him, but is not bound to return and this fact undoubtedly plays its part

in the causation of broken homes.

8. OCCUPATIONAL FAULTS:

Colcord (1919) contends that closely allied to the foregoing and in some

respects growing out of it, is the shortcoming on the employment side that

contributes to marital instability. Most of this can be referred back to lack of

education or opportunity in youth, or even to defects in character. Laziness,

incompetence, lack of skill in any trade, lack of application, or, on the other

hand, the possession by a man with no business stake in the community of

a trade at which he can work wherever he takes his family to go, or of a

trade which is seasonal and shifting, all have a direct relation to the issue of

broken home.

Corresponding to and complementing the man's industrial defects, and

springing from the same causes is the woman's failure in the business of

being a housewife. The wife's laziness, incompetence, lack of interest, and

lack of skill and knowledge creates the sort of home that tends to get itself

broken. These faults in the wife are responsible for as many broken homes

probably as are the faults of the husband. When the man and the wife are

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both industrial failures, the extremity of family breakdown is found and is

usually a "chronic non-support case".

8. POVERTY AND MONEY TROUBLES

Saheed (1988) maintains that poverty on the part of the husband has been

identified as a prime factor responsible for broken homes. Gone are the

days when employment opportunities were apparent in our society. Today

the reverse is the case as millions of school graduates with certificates

remain floating in the already saturated labor market. Moreover, millions of

workers are now rendered unemployed due to one problem or the other in

the economic system. A good number of families thus live from hand to

mouth as a result of quagmire of poverty and penury. This leads to inability

of the husband to provide adequately for the family, hence there is

breakup.

This view is supported by the position of McLanahan (1989), stating that in

general, the greater a man's income relative to his spouse's, the higher the

marriage rate and the lower the divorce rate. For women, marriage rates

are highest in local areas that offer the fewest economic alternatives to

marriage. The more women earn, the less attractive marriage appears to

be in general. Family breakup rate doubles for young married couples if the

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husband is unemployed at any time during the first year of marriage, and is

50 percent higher if both spouses are unemployed.

According to the University of Wisconsin Professor, Larry Bumpass in his

1990 presidential address to the Population Association of America, "If
marriage assures neither a two-parent family for the child, nor lifetime
economic security for the woman, the need of marriage is much less
compelling".
However, Colcord (1919) contends that aside poverty, problems in
management of family finance may lead to a broken home. A family may be
resourceful in terms of finance but if it cannot adequately allocate such
financial resources to appropriately meet competing needs, it is no better
than a poor family and in fact, may even fare worse since the poor know
that they have not; but such family is like the proverbial ignorant who
despite proximity to a water source, makes do with spittle in lieu of water.

9. ILL HEALTH AND INFERTILITY

Colcord (1919) maintains that researchers and academicians are agreed

that physical health condition plays a part, though usually indirect and

secondary in the breakup of a home. Ill health in the man may lower his

vitality, cause irregular work, and super induce a condition of despondency

and readiness to give in. In the woman, it brings about careless

housekeeping, lack of attractiveness, and disinclination to sexual

intercourse, all being factors that directly culminate in a broken home.

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Continued ill health breeds financial and other burdens which tend to lower

the morale of the family members and induces frustration which can lead to

a broken home.

Akin to the ill health factor is the issue of infertility. Saheed (1988) opines

that infertility of the home is another major factor leading to a broken home.

In a situation where a couple live together for over a decade and there are

no children, problems will arise, such that the couple may begin to suspect

each other of the misfortunes of the family. Such misunderstanding in no

small way has contributed to the collapse of many homes in recent times.

Polanen (1990) supports this view, stating that the inability o have children

by a couple can lead to a broken home. The joy of every marriage is for the

couple to be blessed with children, but where none is forthcoming; it can

lead to frustration and eventual breakup of the marriage. In societies where

male children are preferred and accorded higher social status and

privileges than their female counterparts, the inability of the couple to have

male children may lead to serious tension which if left unchecked may

disintegrate the home, not minding the fact that the family already has

female children.

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10. SEXUAL INCOMPATIBILITY

Colcord (1919) contends that this single cause operates disastrously to

disrupt many marriages or else render them unstable. Where the sex habits

of the couple are incompatible, for instance, the man is a selfish brute, or

the wife suffers from sexual anesthesia, the stage is set for a broken home.

Bumpass et al (1995) maintain that such strange sexual perversions in

either couple could lead to separation. Sex maladjustments, both physical,

mental or spiritual which inhibits the complete sexual satisfaction of one or

both of the couple can disintegrate their union

11. INTERFERENCE OF RELATIVES

The tendency of relatives to take sides against their in-law is a matter for

everyone's observation and is frequently found to be a serious factor

leading to a broken home. The harmful interference of relatives may break

an otherwise stable home. Relatives can be a causal factor of marital

discord even without directly interfering. For instance, a couple may

become inclined to a habit of frequent quarrels and temporary separations

because of parents who stand ready to take them back whenever they

choose to live apart. Relatives within the home as well as outside it may

exercise an unfortunate influence on marital relations.

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EFFECTS OF BROKEN HOME ON THE FAMILY AND THE SOCIETY

Polanen (1990) maintains that a broken home has a number of effects on

the particular family involved. Some of these are immediate while the

others only begin to manifest after a short period of time.

Colcord (1919) states that chief amongst the effects of a broken home on

the family is its effects on the children of such homes. She maintains that

there is a mountain of scientific evidence showing that when families

disintegrate, children often end up with intellectual, physical and emotional

scars that persist for life. All these ills trace back predominantly to the

broken family. This position lends credence to the age-old adage that when

two elephants fight, the grass beneath suffer.

Saheed (1988) supports this view, stating that children from broken homes

end up with a condition that is called Attachment Disorder. As the phrase

suggests, it is the lack of attachment that brings about a package of ill

behaviours. A neglected and abused child of a broken home ends up with

it, since no one cares for him or her. He lives in emotional pain all the time,

thus, hurting people comes naturally. The child may even with a reasonable

allowance still indulge in stealing, drugs and other delinquent acts. He

maintains that young-offender laws cannot undo the feeling of insecurity

and low self-esteem that these children grow up with.

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McLanahan (1989) opines that the most significant consequence of a

broken home is that it increases the propensity of children form such

homes to experience marital instability in future. Men and women from

divorced families are more likely to experience separation and divorce.

Luiton (1936) states that when a marriage breaks up, the parents are less

able to invest as much time in their children as necessarily required. As a

result, their children's human capital will not be as developed as supposed

and they will experience inferior adult outcomes. At times, the children are

drawn into the conflict between their parents, and may not as a result, learn

the skills needed for the appropriate resolution of differences and building

of viable relationships.

Margaret (1918) suggests that the stability of a home is important for its

prosperity as it affects its income. A broken home poses harmful effects on

the income of the family. For a mother with children, divorce increases her

financial responsibilities and typically, correspondingly force upwards her

hours of work outside the home. This additional work hour also disrupt her

network of support for parenting her children.

Krantz (1988) argues that the breakup of the home ushers in a dramatic

decline in the standard of living of its members. The worst hit is those

26
belonging to the lower socio-economic groups since they experience

greater hardships in event of a broken home.

Morgan et al (1987) supports this view, and maintains that after a home is

broken, their assets and most times, the matrimonial home inclusive may

be sold and the proceeds used to start off again. In conclusion, he states

that evidence indicates that the income of broken households with children

drops significantly, thereby lessening the likelihood of asset formation.

Coser (1974) maintains that the breakup of the home reduces its rating or

ranking in the society. Its social status most times is reduced to zero level.

Members of such families are looked down on in the society, scorned and

disdained. Most times, they are deprived of certain societal benefits and

privileges available to other stable homes. This typically applies in the

Nigerian context where it is unthinkable that a divorced woman without re-

marring can stand for an elective position.

Polanen (1990) argues that the ever-increasing rate of broken homes

endangers the society since it increases the number of juvenile delinquents

and other social deviants. The groups represented here take to all sorts of

crime and other social vices that undermine the effective and efficient

functioning and continued existence of the society.

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Saheed (1988) suggests that the nation's economic difficulties are rooted

not in technical economic forces (like exchange rate or capital formation);

but in fundamental moral causes. He argues that there exists a deeply

intuitive reasoning that the success of a market-based economy greatly

depends on a highly developed sense of social morality – trustworthiness,

honesty, concern for future generations, an ethic of service to others, a

human society that takes care of those in need, frugality instead of greed,

high standards of quality and concern for community amongst others.

These economically desirable social values, in turn are seen as rooted in

family values. Thus, the link in public reasoning between a healthy family

and a robust economy, though indirect, is clear and firm. He states that

when the rate of broken homes is on the increase, these desirable social

values are taken away from the society and this contingency in turn affects

the economic condition of the society adversely.

Having outlined the general effect of broken home on the family and

society. The study there for outline the following consequences.

BROKEN HOME AND CHILD ABUSE:

Child abuse refers to the harm that is done to the children. Any action

which impedes the child’s development should be considered as abuse.

28
According to Royal Canadian Police (2006) child abuse is any form of

physical, psychological, social, emotional, or sexual maltreatment of a child

were by the survival, safety, self-esteem, growth and development of the

child are endangered. RCP goes further to say that there are four main

types of child abuse they are neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual

abuse. Child abuse includes any behaviors which neglects the child

survival and development needs, causes physical or emotional injure,

harassment and subject the child to measures, situation and experiences

which interfere with the healthy development towards Adulthood. According

to UNICEF child abuse and neglect are far more common in single-parents

families that in families where both parents are present.

Sedkajm and Bruadhurst (1996) state that the growing empirical evidence

on child abuse reveals new alarming and distinct patterns os familiar

relationship that contribute greatly to this tragedy. In addition to poverty and

community environment, the rising incidence of child abuse can be linked

to one more factors: whether an abuse child’s parents are married.

Children react in different ways to the onset of divorce. Some will be

extremely sad and show sign of depression and even sleeplessness.

Anxiety level peak as they feel they are going to be abandon or rejected by

one or ever both parents. Some devoice situations make the child feel

29
lonely. This may be due to a long absence of one parent. No matter what

the situation the child will be affected in some ways by devoice. Some

children may become psychologically scarred from the experience.

Child support payment and experience place a monetary strain on one or

both parent which directly affects the children negative. The can lead to

physical abuse which involves injuring the child body by beating them

burning them or breaking their bones.

Broken home can also lead to child neglect which can include physical

neglect (With holding food, clothing, shelter or other physical necessities)

emotional neglect (with holding love, comfort or affection) medical neglect

(with holding medical care) confirmed that a child is safest when his

biological parents are married and least safe when his mother band.

Children are many time safer living with their biological married parents

than in other family configuration. Various features of child abuse negates

the United Nation Conventions and AU charter on Rights of the child. The

basic principle of child rights according to the United Nation (1989) among

other are that every child has the right to live and be allowed to survive and

develop, every child is entitled to a name, family and nationality, every child

is entitled to adequate rest and recreation according to his/her age and

30
culture, every child is entitled to protection from any act that interferes with

he’s or her privacy, honor, and compulsory basic education and equal

opportunity for higher learning depending on individual ability. The abuse

children are costly investment deficits for the society. This is because they

are prone to high incidence of personality disorder and (Aluko, 2996)

Abuse children grow up as callous, insensitive adults with varied

repercussion for families and society (Adediran, 2003) In Nigeria, there

has been public outcry including media campaign against the prevalence

exposure of children to this avoidable social misfortune called child abuse.

One observe children engaging in petty–trading and hawking for their

parents and guardians when they should be in school laying solid

foundation for their future. There are also cases of child prostitution in order

to get money. The average school teacher today has on his hands a crisis

resulting from parent abdication of their responsibilities and many teachers

believe this has (adversely affected the character and output of students

stealing or begging for food. Students not coming to school regularly and

students sleeping during lessons almost all the time) some of them are

affected by anxiety, depressions, and passive or with windrower behavior.

Some of the students engage in aggressive, disruptive in appropriate acts

or diligent behavior. Some seek inappropriate affection from other students.

31
All these types of negative behavior usually affect student academic

performance (Bosede, 1996).

The causes of child abuse can be traced to broken homes and having large

families. A child in broken homes would not receive as much emotional,

psychological and financial support as a child in a settled home. Emery

(1989) noted that neglected children often are more seriously disturbed

than abuse children. The neglected child is treated more as if he were not

there or as if his parents wished he were not there and this insidious and

fundamental rejection can inflict deep psychological wounds ( Fagan, 1997)

according to Campbell (1932). A broken home is any homes were both

parent are not living together with a child in a normal family relationship.

The break might be due to divorce, desertion or any other cause. She went

to say that the broken home has a definite effect upon the child

achievement in school in a similar vein, Fagan (1999) documented that the

root cause of poverty and income disparity is linked undeniably to the

presence of marriage. Broken families earn less and experience lower level

of educational achievement. Worse, they pass the prospects of meager

incomes and family instability on their children ensuring a continuity if onto

expanding cycle of economic distress. Some studies have shown a

correlation between broken homes and delinquency in relations to variables

32
such as age sex family, structure and substance abuse (Barn – flowers,

2002). Dissention and be conflict in a marriage have been found to be

important factors in the onset of diligence among youths. Gangaetal. (1989)

did psychosocial analysis of Imamates of an approved school, the result

revealed that broken home was the reason for the emotional stress which

trigger anti–social behavior. Children want to be with their parent’s inspite

of the injustice done to them. Adult irresponsibility and lack of commitment

in matters of sex love and marriage result in massive suffering for children.

Child abuse after robbing children happiness in childhood is contributing to

the growing numbers of violent people who diminish the freedom to live and

walk around safely in the society

Children from broken home are at greater risk in terms of psychological

problems. Abuse children grow up in the world of uncertainty, inconsistency

lays violation pain and abandonment. Abandonment does not necessarily

mean just when a child is left on his own; it also means emotional

abandonment leaving a frightened young child all alone to deal with the

inner turmoil brought about by abuse some abuse children often repeat the

vicious cycle by becoming abusive parents.

33
BROKEN HOME AND DELIQUENCY:
We said earlier that family is the first and most basic institutions in our
society for developing the child potential in all its many aspect emotionally,
intellectually, morally, spiritually as well as physically and socially. That
other influences do not even enter the child’s life until after the first highly
formative years, it is within the family that the child learns to curb his desire
and to accept rules that define the time, place and circumstances under
which highly personal needs may be satisfied in socially acceptable ways.
If the family environment is not healthy it affects later development and
behavior of a child.

Among the family environment factors asserted to be responsible for

adolescent diligence are the characteristics, personality and general

behavior of the person in authority in the home (Mc cord 1991) another

significant contributing factors among the infinities cause of diligence is the

altitude of the person in authority toward the child. The healthiness of the

family environment can be categorized base on two broad points. First, is

whether the family is “intact” or “broken”. Intact home means a home, which

has both parents living together. That in nature parents Whereas broken

home implies a home where parents had obtained a separation or divorce

regarding later marriages to the other person and these in which one or

both parent had died (Hawkins 1992, kandell,1996).

34
Family structure research has shown that divorce can be a major force in

shaping children lives marital disruptions is associated with cognitive,

emotional and behavioral problems and lower academic performance in

children who have undergone dissolution (Amato E Kelth, 1991,

Hetherington, 1989, wallerstan, 1988). Moore (1995) for example reported

that disruption of parent marriages and livings with a single parent are

related to the earlier on – set of adolescent sexual behavior. These

researchers speculate that this finding may be explained by lower family

incomes disadvantage neighborhoods, less supervision and parental

modeling, and more permissive altitude in single parent families.

Children from intact families too display outcomes of dropping out of

school, teenage pregnancy, teenage idleness, and truancy. Wells and

Rankins (1991) Meta–analysis focusing on the relationship of broken home

and diligence, clarified this issue further, they found that broken homes

were indeed more likely than intact homes to have diligent adolescents. In

studying family climate, Handed (1968) reported that the transaction that

place between members made them into the kind of people they are the

basic assumption to the study of family climate he said, are that members

deal differently with each other than with other people. The millions of

responses which family members meet overtime within a family fall into a
35
pattern. These patterns persist within a family for many years and will

influence a child expectations of and behavior with other people when he

leaks the family.

It is a common knowledge that children and adolescent acquire

characteristic behavior pattern of adult models. Some theorists assert that,

it seems largely from genetic factors. Others argue that it result primary

from cultural and environmental influences. Besides on the later view,

Barton and wilhihi (1936) offered on intriguing new theory called status

envy hypothesis which predicted that children will identify with model which

control resources they covert. He shows that boys from father absence

house experience considerable cross – sex identity conflict.

Also coleman, Batcher, and carson (1980) found that faulty father – child

relationship said rejection could lead to feeling of anxiety, insecurity,

criminality low- self esteem, hostility and attention seeking. Domination on

the other hand may give rise to submissiveness, lack of self- reliance, low

self evaluation and dependency upon their father alternative. A number of

investigations, Hande and Hess (1956), have remarked upon the

differences in parent – child relationship associated with certain

demograperic characteristic that, life in a small family is more completive

36
than large families. And that parent of the former is more likely to have

higher aspirations for their children and to place greater stress upon

personal achievement. Also that father of small family’s particularly middle

class are less authoritarian than those of large lower class families.

Goode (1959) observed that parental absence might have different effect

under various conditions. He divided broken home boys into 3 divisions.

The reason for the father absence, the father death might be presumed to

have a different effect on the child that would his disappearance from

home, after quarrels. The age of the boy and the line of separation divide

into pre – school and pre – adolescence. The affection relationship and

stability of mother’s normal non deviant mother wore considered normal.

The result showed that there is a correlation between divorce and personal

development of adolescence.

With the increase in single parent homes, Robinson (1973) concluded that

father absent home boy lack social responsibility. The girl may have

emotional problems. Engage in anti – social acting and behavior exhibit

regressive dependent behavior and experience different in relating to males

later in life (Bicher 1976) Rall and miller (1978) claimed that children who

cope best and those who have successfully resolved the oedipal and

37
electoral complexes. Carson (1980) propounded that the loss of parent

through divorce, separation or death harm a child adjustment.

BROKEN HOME AND ACCADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Sociology of education makes us to know that the family is the first primary

social group that the child first belongs to, come in contact with, and this

group has a greater influence on the child’s physical, mental and moral

development. The family lays the foundation of education before the child

goes to school and the personality that the child takes to school is

determined by the home (family), (Maduewesi and Emenogu, 1997). What

make up a family are the father, mother and kids, not father and mother

alone. Fadeiye (1985) pointed out that both parents have their own roles to

play in child’s education. The father is to provide every necessary tool for

the educational advancement while the mother is expected to supplement

the efforts of the father. But in the case where the father is absent and the

mother is not privileged enough to cater for all the necessary and basic

needs as well as supervising the academic performance of the child, by

checking the academic records of the child or by going through their class

and lesson notes or books every day. Also giving of counseling supports

when needed, these will affect the educational state or level of the child. So

38
also, if a child is not well nurtured and mentally assisted, it will also affect

his/her educational outcome. If it were to be a male child, it’s likelihood for

the child to be Tenibiaje Mokolapo Oluwatosin et al. 242 anti-social in

nature by joining gangs, also, if it were to be a female child, there is

likelihood for her to become wayward. According to Nwachukwu (1998),

children from single parent homes are more hostile, hyperactive and

aggressive in nature. Many of the problems that single parents have are

similar as those for two parent’s family, but these problems seem more

difficult to bear or manage when the home is being tutored by only one

person. For example, all children feel hostile towards their parents as they

grow-up and try to be independent. But in a situation, where the anger and

rebellion are all directed towards one person, it may seem worse, if there is

only one to bear it, not for the two to share.

There are some problems that are exceptional, which are only faced by the

single-parents, which make it somewhat difficult to raise children. These

problems include: bitterness towards the absent spouse, loneliness,

poverty and insecurity about raising children alone without a help. For

these and some other reasons, single parents sometimes cling to their

children or over-indulge them. It is widely believed that children from

broken homes have higher incidence of academics, emotional and

39
behavioral problems than other children from intact homes. An analysis of

data by NAEP(1986)(National Association of Educational Procurement)

data indicated that third graders living with one parent score considerably

lower than third graders living with both parents (Natriello, McDill and

Pallas, 1990). Ekstrom et al (1987) cited in Education Reforms and

students at Risk: A Review of the state of the Art – January 1994, find a

significant correlation between single-parent homes and dropout rates for

whites and Hispanics (but not for blacks). In case of divorce, separation or

death of a parent, children are at somewhat greater risk for symptoms of

poor psychological adjustment, behavioral and social problems, low self-

esteem and poor performance in school. Johnson and Medinans (1968)

cited in Ortesse (1998) found that most medical students whose fathers

had been absent while they were at ages one to five of life were more

psychiatric, psychopathic and criminalistic in nature than those whose

parents were present during this period. According to Ortesse (1998), a

child from intact homes will be well taken care of and well socialised as

possible. This is due to the fact the process of socialization depends on

both parents playing complementary roles in bringing up the child. Poverty

affects a child's academic achievement. The vast majority of single parents

are indeed in poverty. However, some still believe that the single parent

40
home poses a unique threat to children due to the lack of two parents,

outside the menace of poverty.

Yet, many of the problems children of single parents encounter that do not

at first seem to be caused by poverty are in fact caused by a lack of

resources. These resources include time and money, of which the single

parent has little due to their low socio-economic status (Hargreaves

1991:44).

There is no doubt that children from single parent households do in fact

suffer from low academic achievement (Hargreaves 1991: 40). Children

from single parent homes are much more likely to receive poor grades and

eventually drop out of school (Pong 1998). Furthermore, young adults who

were raised in single parent homes often gain inferior education,

employment, and economic status (Mueller and Cooper 1986).

It is also clear that the negative educational effects of living in a single

parent household are not caused by the absence of a second parent.

Clearly, many if not all of the academic problems faced by children of single

parents can be attributed to poverty (Hargreaves 1991: 40).

41
Numerous investigations have proven that children from single parent

homes obtain lower IQ and SAT scores. Moreover, these children have

lower grade point averages and complete fewer years of schooling.

However, when studies of IQ, SAT scores, GPAs, and years of schooling

controlled for socio-economic status, they found the difference in academic

achievement to be hardly significant (Hargreaves 1991: 41-42).

This implies that children of the same income level, from both one and two

parent homes, achieve at the same level in school. Therefore, the factor

affecting any child's achievement is their access to educational resources

through wealth (Mueller and Cooper 1986).

Children of single parents must often drop out of school in order to

contribute to the household income (Hargreaves 1991: 44). Then, even if

adolescents seek higher education, they may not be able to afford it. An

inability to seek higher education pushes children of single parents into the

workforce where they stand to make much less money due to the lack of a

college degree. This only furthers the cycle of poverty (Krein and Beller

1988).

Some researchers believe that socio-economic status accounts for almost

all of the detriment to a single parent's child (Hargreaves 1991: 40). Still,

42
some claim that poverty only accounts for half of the adversity children from

single parent households encounter (Dowd 1997: 26). The camp which

believes that only half of these problems stem from poverty is incorrect.

All of the disadvantage experienced by children from single parent

households can be attributed to poverty because the half of problems they

do not accredit to poverty are in fact problems that poverty causes. For

example, the stress poverty places on the mental well-being of the single

parent in turn causes them to lash out at their children. Hostility from one's

parent serves as a mental distraction which can eventually affect the child's

ability to concentrate on their schoolwork.

The half of educational problems faced by children of single parents that do

not concern income occur due to a lack of social capital (Dowd 1997: 26).

Social capital refers to an accessible goal which individuals cannot reach

on their own, but only in a group.

In terms of the academic achievement of children from single parent

households, this term refers to the guidance and supervision that parents

provide to their children in order to create educated adults (Dowd 1997:

26).

43
One predictor of educational attainment and contributor to the social capital

of a child is the amount of time input by the child's parents. In single parent

households, the absence of one parent often spreads the remaining parent

thin, causing them to perform many of the tasks that the second parent

would normally fulfill. Some studies have shown that children of single

mothers actually suffer more from maternal than paternal deprivation (Krein

and Beller 1988). In one study, single mothers reported that they had less

time than married mothers to talk to their children, discuss their emotional

requirements, help with homework assignments, read to their children, and

chaperone for school trips. (Hargreaves 1991: 45). Still, maternal

deprivation is caused by the working mothers need to support her children;

to keep her children above the poverty line.

Another contribution to social capital single parents must forfeit due to time

constraints is involvement in their child's schooling. Single parents attend

fewer parent-teacher conferences, PTA meetings, and school assemblies

(Hargeaves 1991: 45). In addition, single parents have less time to spend

on supervising schoolwork (Pong 1998). Single mothers report having to

deny their children school supplies, lunches, and trips because the cost

was simply too frivolous (Hargeaves 1991: 44).

44
Cutbacks in the amount of time single parents spend on their child's

education are mostly caused by the need to work enough to support their

children despite lacking the second income two parent households obtain.

In order to spend more time with their children, single parents often

sacrifice time they would otherwise spend on household chores,

volunteering, and personal care (Hargreaves 1991: 45). Trying to balance

such a demanding life eventually takes a toll on the stress level of the

single parent. Eventually, the high stress level of the parent can be felt by

the child and distract children from simply worrying about their studies

(Dowd 1997: 26).

Poverty is extremely detrimental to childhood academic achievement.

However, a lack of income is not the only effect poverty has on the

education of a child. Single parent household also lack an important

resource: time with their children. After examining the true causes behind

the limited visibility of the single parent in the life of their child, we can

clearly see that poverty is at the root of all harm caused to children's

academic achievement.

45
CONCLUSION

The family is undoubtedly the basic unit of the society. It is the fulcrum on

which the society revolves. The extents of well-being of the individual

families which constitute the society form the yardstick with which the

success or failure of the society is measured.

It is therefore not rhetoric to state that once the family system collapses,

the society concerned is doomed to fail. The Nigerian situation lends

credence to the above position. The average Nigerian family wallows in

abject poverty, no wonder the United Nations report placed Nigeria among

the 25 poorest countries in the world. The issue of the high and ever

increasing rate of broken home is not an exception to the above position.

When the average family that constitutes the society is intact, and

continually and continuously functions as an integrated unit, the society in

turn is integrated, orderly and peaceful. The individual members of the

society thus have the opportunity of bringing the various values gotten from

their homes to bear towards the development of every sector of the society.

However, where the rate of break-up of homes is on the increase, the

reverse is the case. The family members are intellectually, morally,

46
emotionally, psychologically, economically, physically and socially

deprived. In the society, they can neither function nor deliver their quota

towards the development of the society since they lack the values

necessary for same, and which only a stable home can offer. No wonder

corruption and embezzlement of public funds is on the increase, while

unemployment and inflation have defied all known control measures. The

children from such homes constitute nuisance in the society, indulging in all

sorts of crimes and delinquent activities which pose clogs in the wheels of

national development.

The members of the family, by their indulgence in such vicious habits like

drunkenness, dependency on drugs, adultery, etc cause the disintegration

of their home. The paradox in the whole affair is that the society, which

ultimately bears the brunt of the problems caused by the broken-home

syndrome, also contributes to its incidence and prevalence. Some of the

ways through which the society compounds the problem is by its attitudes

towards marriage since the attitude of the society towards the sanctity of

marriage, towards the position of women in the home, and towards the

importance of restraint in sexual relations, have effects on the broken home

rate of any given social group.

47
Another way in which the society may affect the popular conception of

marriage is in the administration of civil marriage. Lack of care in the

enforcement of laws relating to marriage and lack of gravity in the

performance of the ceremonies may have a decided reaction on respect for

those laws and for the institution itself. Similarly, the administration of

divorce laws may affect the popular conception of marriage.

As long as all these persist in the society, the issue of increasing rate of

broken homes cannot be checked and with time, the family system may

completely be destroyed.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The possible solutions to the problem of broken home in the society may

be classified into preventive and corrective measures of control. The

preventive measures refers to those undertaken to inhibit the possible

collapse of the family structure while the corrective measures, conversely,

refers to those undertaken as panacea to help ameliorate the condition of

an already broken home.

48
1. As it already been pointed out, illiteracy is a major factor causing

marital instability and the break-up of homes. Policies and projects aimed

at eradication of illiteracy should be initiated and embarked on by the

government.

2. Also public enlightenment through the media and other agencies on

marriage principles remain a sure way of preventing the breakup of the

home. Marriages are falling apart and other marriages never begin as

adults may choose to cohabit as sexual partners and sometimes have

children, instead of get married. Churches and Christian organizations must

teach marriage principles so that marriages will last. Sound biblical

education is necessary to put marriages back on firm foundation.

The members of the family must adopt good habits as this may help

prevent and/or correct the problem of broken home. Where the causal

factor stems from the vicious habits of either of the spouse, a total

renouncement of such habits may help restore the love and confidence

which ought to exist in the home and save it from tearing apart.

49
3. It is also suggested that government should review laws relating to

divorce and judicial separation so as to make it more difficult and less

favorable for couples to obtain a divorce, except where the situation cannot

be helped. At all times, correction of the problem leading to such ugly

situation should be emphasized while the option of dissolving the marriage

should be de-emphasized.

4. Efforts should also be made to reduce the state of unemployment

prevalent in the society. If more and better job opportunities are created in

the society, it may go a long way in improving the economic situation of

most families and this in turn will help reduce the rate of broken homes

attributed to poverty as a causal factor.

5. Parents should be made to stand up to their responsibilities by

making provision for adequate school materials for their children.

6. There is the need for personal social counseling in group or on

individual basis where children with challenges from broken homes are

counseled.

50
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