The Perceived Effect of Single Parenting on Interpersonal Relationships Among Learners in Public Day Secondary Schools in Ishiara Zone, Mbeere North Sub-County, Embu County in Kenya

Abstract

The family’s main responsibility is to train and bring up children in the norms and values of society, and therefore, it affects the child’s psychosocial development. There has been an increase in the number of single-parent families, which has been perceived negatively by African society. These perceptions may affect the, interpersonal relationships of children. This study aimed to determine the perceived effect of single-parenting on learners’ interpersonal relationships. The study was grounded on the psychoanalytic theory of identification. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was 1466 learners and 92 teachers, making a total of 1558. The study was done in the 8 public day secondary schools and it constituted 306 form three learners, 30 class teachers and 8 Guidance and Counselling heads, making a total of 344 respondents. The study’s chi-square tests found a statistically significant association between single parenting and interpersonal relationships of learners in public day secondary schools in Ishiara Zone, Mbeere North Sub-county, Embu County in Kenya. They will also be used to highlight the counselling needs of the learners whose perceptions might be warped. The study recommended the formulation of guidance and counseling programmes and other policies that will help the learners who need guidance and counseling in the areas covered in this research. Moreover, the findings are also expected to help formulate guidance and counseling policies for learners from duo-parent families who have negative perceptions of learners from single-parent families.