PARENTAL CONFLICT PREDICTING TRAUMATICBEHAVIOURS AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS INESAN LAND OF EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study explored parental conflict predicting traumatic behaviours among primary school pupils in Esan Land of Edo State, Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. This study adopted the descriptive research design. The total study participants were 498 which comprises of 104 community members and 104 primary school pupils while the study also sampled 290 primary school teachers which were drawn from a total of 2,041 teachers in 227 Public Primary School in the study area. The study instrument was a questionnaire titled: Parental Conflict Predicting Traumatic Behaviours among Primary School Pupils Questionnaire (PCPTBPSPQ) was used. Data collected were analyzed. The findings revealed that parental conflict predict traumatic behaviours among primary school pupils. The study showed that teachers and primary school pupils have positive perceptions on the effects of parental conflict among Primary School Pupils. It was also revealed in this study that community members have positive perceptions on their role in minimizing the effects of parental conflict among Primary School Pupils in Esan Land of Edo State, Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made; that parents should have a clear perception on how their way of living at home with the children is in no small measure affect the emotional, intellectual, social and psychological functioning of their children both in and outside home especially in the classroom activities; pupils should feel-free to relate their traumatic incidents at home with his/her class teacher, school psychologists and counsellors for early therapy; teachers, school psychologists and counsellors should plan appropriate preventive psychological strategies against those factors that predict traumatic behaviours among primary school pupils especially the destructive parental conflict; community leaders, clergies should always participate in accelerating the restoration of peace and harmony to a conflicting family and a good community member should always contribute to the restoration of peace and harmony of a conflict home by encouraging, supporting and praying for them.