Family structure and family relationship among households in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The family is the first institution in which children first experience relationships, care and love and if it is faulty, then it becomes worrisome. This study sought to determine family structure and family relationship among households in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. The major sub-independent variables of family structure that were explored were; single parent family structure, two-parent (nuclear/monogamous) family structure, and polygamous (extended) family structure. The study adopted a simple survey research design. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect data from 150 respondents from 150 households drawn through purposive sampling. Data collected were keyed into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 software and hypotheses were tested using linear regression analysis at 0.05 significance level. The results and findings were presented using descriptive and inferential statistics. Test of hypothesis one showed that, there is a significant influence of single-parent family on family relationship among households in Obanliku Local Government Area (p=.001). The analysis of hypothesis two showed that there is a significant influence of two-parent (nuclear/monogamous) family on family relationship among households in Obanliku Local Government Area (p=.008), while test of hypothesis three revealed that there is a significant influence of polygamous (extended) family on family relationship among households in Obanliku Local Government Area (p=.006). It was concluded in this study that family structure influence family relationship among households. Public sensitization of parents in different family structure on the need to maintain healthy family relationship was recommended.