The relationship between parental availability and aggression in the 21stcentury: Studies among adolescents in Nnewi North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Manifestation of aggression among adolescents could be related to poor parental availability. In this study, the relationship between parental availability and aggression in the twenty-first century among adolescents in Nnewi North Local Government Area (LGA) Anambra State, Nigeria was investigated. Two research questions guided the study. The researchers adopted a correlation research design. The sample for study comprised of 800 respondents randomly selected from eight (8) secondary schools in the LGA. The instruments for data collection were adopted questionnaire on aggression and questionnaire for parental availability designed by the researchers and validated by two experts in test construction. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach alpha statistics with an index of 0.78 for parental availability and 0.85 for aggression. Pearson correlation was used to analyse the collected data. The results of the study revealed that parental availability (communication and supervision) reduced aggression among adolescents. It was therefore concluded that establishing a strong parent adolescent relationship in the families could be an immeasurable help in raising well-adjusted and successful adolescents. It was recommended that parents should always have in mind the need for family attachment and as such provide opportunity for family meeting where they will listen to their children’ views and give them corrections and some pieces of advice where necessary. In addition, parents are to visit their children’s schools from time to time to meet their teachers who will help them in assessing their behaviours.