INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL PERSPECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON CHILD ABUSE AMONG LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN EKITI STATE

Abstract

The study examines parental perspectives and Environmental factors as Correlates of Child buse among lower primary school pupils The study adopted correlation research design. The population for the study comprised of parents and teachers of lower primary schools in Ekiti State. The sample comprised of 200 parents and teachers of lower primary school pupils. Simple random sampling technique was adopted in selecting one state out of six states in Southwest Nigeria. Three validated research instruments were used to collect data which are; Questionnaire for Parental Perspectives on Child Abuse on Lower Primary School Pupils, Questionnaire on Environmental Factors on Child Abuse on Lower Primary School Pupils and Questionnaire on child abuse on lower primary school pupils with reliability coefficient of 0.81, 0.84 and 0.90 respectively. Data collected were analysed using percentage, frequency count, and multiple regression. Results showed that discipline style is the main parental perspective of child abuse. Also the results revealed that family conflict is the main factor affecting child abuse among lower primary school pupils in Ekiti State . Further result showed that there exists a linear relationship between the predictors (discipline style, affection, parent history of child abuse) on criterion variable (levels of child abuse). It is reveals that four predictors discipline style, β=- .523, t(200) =--6.939 P< 0.05, parent history of child abuse, β =-..759 t(200) = 8.784P< 0.05, family conflict β 1.226, t(200) =-18.519 P< 0.05), have significant influence in this prediction model. Based on the findings, it was concluded that parental perspectives and environmrntal factors constitute child abuse in Ekiti