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Analysis of Family Structure Influence on Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya

Received: 3 February 2016    Accepted: 31 March 2016    Published: 15 April 2016
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Abstract

A family is a fundamental unit in society. However, the structure of a family has been changing from the traditional family structure comprising of parents and their children to other forms of family structures that provides alternative dependence system. The emerging family structures may have an influence on academic performance in secondary schools’ as students depend on the family emotional and material support. This study examined the influence of family structure influence on students’ academic performance within Bungoma East Sub-County. The study objectives were to examine the Nuclear family structure influence on academic performance of students’ public secondary schools in Bungoma East Sub-County; to examine the Single parent family structure influence on academic performance of students in public secondary schools in Bungoma East Sub-County. This study was guided by Bronfenbronner’s principles of ecological theory of child on child development, a risk and protective model. Descriptive research design and mixed methodology was used to determine the extent to which variation in family structure and school setting influences students’ academic performance. A sample size of 323 respondents was used in the study and a response rate of 95.7% was achieved. The questionnaire and interview schedule provided data that was analysed and presented findings through frequency tables, pie-charts, bar charts and others. Inferential statistics was used to analyse and ascertain relationship between family structure and academic performance. A regression analysis between family structure background and academic performance was performed and a Pearson Correlation test done to reveal significant correlation between the variables. The findings of this study revealed that good performance of learner with nuclear family was due to economic support, family support, parental motivation and home study environment. Nuclear family background positively influenced academic performance of student and it significantly accounted 16.7% variance in student performance. Single parent family background attributed good performance of learners with small percentage as shown by 92(30%). Single parent family background negatively influenced academic performance of student and it significantly explained 1.6% variance in student performance. Policy makers should always take the subjective views of their wards into consideration in order to avert the problem of single parenthood, step parenthood and grandparenthood in the society. By doing so, the increase in nuclear family parenthood will provide socio-economic support and motivation needed for students to perform well in their academics. Boarding schools setup will reduce the parenting influence.

Published in International Journal of Secondary Education (Volume 4, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20160402.11
Page(s) 12-22
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Nuclear Family Structure, Single Family Structure, Academic Performance, Bungoma East

References
[1] Amato, P. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of marriage and the family, 62; 1268-1287.
[2] Akinyi, P. (1993). Children’s adjustment to divorce: Theories and hypotheses and empirical support. Journal of marriage and the family, 55; 23-38.
[3] Amato, P. (2001). Children of divorce in the 1990’s: An update of the Amato & Keith (1991). Meta- analysis. Journal of family psychology, 15; 355-370.
[4] Amato, P. R., (2005). The impact of family formation change on the cognitive, social and emotional well being of the next generation. The future of children, 15; 75-96.
[5] Akinyi, P. A. (2008). The influence of parenthood on academic achievement motivation among secondary school students. A case of siaya district Kenya Unpublished thesis Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
[6] Chowa B., N. (2012). The concept of family Demographic and Genealogical perspectives. Journal sociation today. 2.2. The North Carolina Sociological Association ISSN 1542-6300.
[7] Coontz, P., (1997). Influence of gender on academic achievement. Michigan, University of Michigan.
[8] Grace, S., (2001). The effects of family structure on educational attainment. Do the effects vary by age of the child? (Electronic version) American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 54(1); 89-105.
[9] Hetherington, E., Hernderson, S. & Reiss, D. (1999) Adolescent siblings in step families: family functioning and adolescent adjustment, monograph of the society for the study of child development, 259 (4) 64.
[10] International Encyclopaedia. & Kellys J. (2007). For better or worse. New York: Norton.
[11] Ketteringham, M. (2007). Parenting in divorced and remarried families, in M. Bornstein (ed) Handbook of parenting: 3: Being and becoming a parent, Lawrence Eribaum Associates, Mauwah, NJ.
[12] Kothari, E. (2006). Hostility, hostile detachment, and conflict engagement in marriages: Effects on child and family functioning. Child development, 73; 636-651.
[13] Lammers, W. J, & Badia P. (2005). Fundamental of behavior Research. Califonia: Thomson and Wadsworth.
[14] Mc Lanahan, S. S., & Sandefur, G. (1994). Growing up with a single parent: what hurts? What helps? Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
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[17] Muleyi, W. G. (2008). Effects of Home factors and type of school on academic performance of girls in secondary school in Bungoma district. Unpublished thesis Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
[18] Mugenda, O. M. & Mugenda, A. G. (2003). Research Methods. Nairobi: Acts Press.
[19] Ngulat, T. (2004). Impact of HIV/AIDS on Generational roles and intergenerational relationships. Nigeria.
[20] O’connel, D. (2007). Single parenting by choice Family life parenting strategies Canada. Com. 2005-2012.
[21] UNICEF (2011). Family background and literacy performance http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/33/9/336905591.
[22] Okero, B. O. (2004). The influence of father absence on locus of control and academic performance among secondary school students, A study of Kisii central district. Unpublished thesis Moi, University Eldoret, Kenya.
[23] Oyerinde, O. (2001). The impact of family structure, Parenting practices and family size on children’s academic performance. Nigeria school.
[24] Popenoe, K. (1996). Children in changing families’ life after parental separation, Blackwell publishers, Oxford United Kingdom.
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  • APA Style

    Peter Barasa Nato. (2016). Analysis of Family Structure Influence on Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya. International Journal of Secondary Education, 4(2), 12-22. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20160402.11

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    Peter Barasa Nato. Analysis of Family Structure Influence on Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya. Int. J. Second. Educ. 2016, 4(2), 12-22. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20160402.11

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    AMA Style

    Peter Barasa Nato. Analysis of Family Structure Influence on Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya. Int J Second Educ. 2016;4(2):12-22. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20160402.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsedu.20160402.11,
      author = {Peter Barasa Nato},
      title = {Analysis of Family Structure Influence on Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya},
      journal = {International Journal of Secondary Education},
      volume = {4},
      number = {2},
      pages = {12-22},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsedu.20160402.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20160402.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsedu.20160402.11},
      abstract = {A family is a fundamental unit in society. However, the structure of a family has been changing from the traditional family structure comprising of parents and their children to other forms of family structures that provides alternative dependence system. The emerging family structures may have an influence on academic performance in secondary schools’ as students depend on the family emotional and material support. This study examined the influence of family structure influence on students’ academic performance within Bungoma East Sub-County. The study objectives were to examine the Nuclear family structure influence on academic performance of students’ public secondary schools in Bungoma East Sub-County; to examine the Single parent family structure influence on academic performance of students in public secondary schools in Bungoma East Sub-County. This study was guided by Bronfenbronner’s principles of ecological theory of child on child development, a risk and protective model. Descriptive research design and mixed methodology was used to determine the extent to which variation in family structure and school setting influences students’ academic performance. A sample size of 323 respondents was used in the study and a response rate of 95.7% was achieved. The questionnaire and interview schedule provided data that was analysed and presented findings through frequency tables, pie-charts, bar charts and others. Inferential statistics was used to analyse and ascertain relationship between family structure and academic performance. A regression analysis between family structure background and academic performance was performed and a Pearson Correlation test done to reveal significant correlation between the variables. The findings of this study revealed that good performance of learner with nuclear family was due to economic support, family support, parental motivation and home study environment. Nuclear family background positively influenced academic performance of student and it significantly accounted 16.7% variance in student performance. Single parent family background attributed good performance of learners with small percentage as shown by 92(30%). Single parent family background negatively influenced academic performance of student and it significantly explained 1.6% variance in student performance. Policy makers should always take the subjective views of their wards into consideration in order to avert the problem of single parenthood, step parenthood and grandparenthood in the society. By doing so, the increase in nuclear family parenthood will provide socio-economic support and motivation needed for students to perform well in their academics. Boarding schools setup will reduce the parenting influence.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Analysis of Family Structure Influence on Academic Performance Among Secondary School Students in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya
    AU  - Peter Barasa Nato
    Y1  - 2016/04/15
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Author Information
  • Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Management, Mount Kenya University, Nairobi, Kenya

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