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Parental Relationship as a Correlate of Psychological Wellbeing of South Eastern Adolescents
Anyanwu Joy. I
Department of Educational Foundations
University of Nigeria, Nsukka. anyajay4zion@yahoo.com
Abstract
The study investigated influence of parental relationship on the psychological wellbeing of southeastern adolescents. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study with 4000 (2000 males and 2000 females) adolescents in senior secondary II from schools in Abia, Enugu, Imo and AnambraStates of Nigeria as the sample. A questionnaire whose reliability coefficient was 0.60 was used to collect information. The result showed that: the adolescents have more emotional and social than personal problems; among others. The finding lends credence to Videon's (2005) report that parents (mothers and fathers) have a lot of influence on adolescent psychological wellbeing. It was recommended that guidance counselors should handle each adolescent problem with full knowledge of the cultural milieu and gender of clients in addition to organizing family seminars on parenting practices and parent/adolescent relationship.
Introduction
Adolescence encompasses the period ranging from ages 10 to 21 years. This is a period when young children are developing into adulthood, extending from puberty to independence. It has three stages namely; early adolescent from 10 to 14 years, middle adolescence from 15 to 17 years and late adolescence from 17 to 21 years. (Igbo in Onwuasoanya, 2008). It is a period of the life cycle between childhood and adulthood with some unique characteristics connected with development and marked by dramatic challenges that require adjustment to changes in self, in the family and peer group. (Santrock, 2004). In terms of changes in self, the adolescent experiences physical growth, sexual maturation, intense emotional, social, cognitive and personal development. This developmental period is described as a time of storm and stress; conflict and crises of adjustment and a stage of alienation from adult society. Adolescents experience frustration, self-doubt, stress, pressure and feelings of rejection and failure as they go through the physical developmental stages and the search for self, (Hahn and Payne, 2001) Generally, adolescents are in two categories; the early and late developers or maturers. Early maturation starts at the ages of 10 and 12 for the girls and boys respectively. It is marked by physical development of primary sex characteristics or reproductive organs such as ovaries and testes among others in girls and boys respectively (Payne and Isaacs 2002). There are also gradual changes in the timbre and pitch of voice, facial and body hairs for boys and development of breasts and expansion of hips for girls referred to as secondary sex characteristics. (Donnelly, Eburne, and Kittleson,2001). Research has shown that early physical maturation has positive effect on boys as they are said to be more relaxed, poised, less dependent, more attractive to and popular with their peers. They are equally higher in self esteem. For the girls, however, early maturation appears to result in negative evaluations leading to feelings of isolation, submissive behavior and less popularity with and leadership of their peers. (Symons and Blythe in De Adams 1993). The ability to accept these physical changes and cope with different situations in life; to regain that sense of normalcy or psychological wellness after going through or encountering difficulties marks psychological balance or well being (Igbo in Onwuasoanya,2008). Psychological well being according to (Erikson in Myers 2002) is the development and functioning of the mental abilities such as perception, memory and awareness of things happening within the adolescents' environment. Socialization plays a major role in personality development and psychological wellbeing of adolescents through parenting practices in the family which is the first social institution the child encounters. This is confirmed by Ochiagha (1995) in her report that the value system(which is an aspect of personality) of any individual, is linked to such individual's socialization experience and may vary based on the person's culture, location or status in social structure, membership of reference groups and gender. In an earlier report, Blos in De Anda and Smith (1993) stressed the importance of the cultural milieu and social stratum in personality formation and posited a reciprocal influence between the individual and the environment. Supporting the influence of socialization and gender difference in experiences, Piccinelli and Wilkinson (2000) reported in their study on gender difference in depression, that the prevalence of depressive disorder is higher in females than in males. It begins according to them in mid puberty and persists through adulthood with adverse experiences in childhood and socio-cultural roles with related adverse experiences as the predisposing factors. Theoretically, the psychoanalytic theorists stated that adolescent development is a recapitulation of earlier infantile stages of development through the re-experiencing of either the oedipal or pre-oedipal conflicts. (Freud,1973). Two tasks according to the psychoanalysts must be accomplished during adolescence for psychological development and maturity which include detachment from the opposite sex parent as an incestuous love object and establishing a non antagonistic, non-dominated relationship with the same sex parent. This process of detachment may result in negativism and hostility towards parents and other authority figure at a time (Freud, 1973). Blos agrees with the psychoanalysts' that adolescence is a transitional period that involves a recapitulation of earlier familial patterns of interaction and added that individuation in adolescence requires a normative regression which involves returning to or reenacting the previous set rules or less advanced ways of behaving. To him regression to earlier ways of behavior is normal in adolescence although parents may misinterpret this regression as irresponsibility or immaturity engendering turmoil, volatile behaviors and anxiety in the adolescent. If unmanaged, it may result to use of defense mechanisms such as withdrawal, secrecy, fantasy and compensation. It may also lead to adolescent problems of drug abuse and addiction, crime and school dropout. In effect, relationship in the family affects psychological growth and well being of adolescents. Looking at family relationship from the career perspective, Roe (1972) in her theory, of career development, stated that three parental attitudes such as: a.) Emotional concentration on the child by being over demanding or overprotecting b.) Avoidance of the child - emotional rejection or neglect of the child. c.) Acceptance of the child - casual acceptance or loving acceptance of the child, affect adolescents' personal and vocational lives. Roe stated that children reared in rejecting homes are aggressive and defensive towards others and generally enter occupations that deal more with things than with individuals (thereby exhibiting avoidance behavior). On the other hand, children reared in accepting homes may have primary interests in persons or non persons but will not be aggressive. This tends to suggest that children who were accepted in their homes are psychologically well. In her studies on parental control, Baumrind in Berger (2005) stated that three parental child rearing practices- authoritarian, authoritative and permissive parenting - influence adolescent psychological wellbeing. Authoritarian parenting is not only a restrictive and punitive style that insists on rigid adherence to rules, respect for work and effort, it also lacks warmth. Parents use physical punishment for offenders to enforce obedience and emphasize the power of their roles as parents. Authoritarian parenting places firm limits and control over the adolescents and allows little verbal exchange. Consequently, adolescents from such homes acquire socially incompetent behaviors. Authoritative parenting is marked by parental warmth, use of rules and reasoning or induction to promote obedience and keep discipline. Such parents use verbal and non-physically punitive measures to correct a child than physical punishment, they are equally consistent in their words and actions over time. Authoritative parenting allows extensive verbal give- and- take with their adolescent children. Thus, adolescents from such homes are self reliant, socially responsible and have socially competent behavior. Permissive parents may be indifferent or indulgent. Permissive- indifferent parents exhibit inconsistency in their use of rules. They are generally uninvolved in the lives of their adolescent children. Permissive indifferent parenting develops in adolescents socially incompetent behavior especially lack of self control. The permissive indulgent parent is highly involved with their adolescents but place few demands or controls on them. The parents allow their adolescent children to do what they want and every request of the child is met by the parents who relate with the children more like peers. This type of parenting can lead to socially incompetent behavior- lack of self control. The adolescent may be self indulgent, have few friends and never learn to abide by rules and regulations. These parenting styles as stated earlier affect adolescent behavior and development. For example, Lerner, Noh and Wilson (1998) in a study of 14 to 18 year old adolescents with authoritative parents reported that they had more social competence and fewer psychological and behavioral problems than those with indulgent or neglectful (permissive) parents. While adolescents with permissive parents have less social competence and more psychological and behavioral problems than any group of adolescents in the study, those with authoritarian parents were obedient and conformed well to authority but had poorer self concept than other adolescents. In a similar study of 10,000 high school students, adolescents whose parents are accepting, firm and democratic, are more self reliant, less anxious and depressed and less likely to engage in delinquent behavior than youths with parents using other parenting styles. The report went further to state that, the influence of authoritative parenting held for adolescents of different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds irrespective of their family structure. In another study on paternal and maternal influences on the psychological well being of Chinese adolescents, Shek (2003) assessed adolescent's perception and satisfaction with parenting styles, parent-adolescent conflict, perceived parent and adolescent communication and related feelings. Perceived parent-adolescent relationship and mental health were assessed using rating scales and structured interviews. The report showed that both paternal parenthood qualities (PPQ) and maternal parenthood qualities (MPQ) generally had significant concurrent and longitudinal correlations with adolescents' mental health. Paternal parental quality predicted changes in adolescents' life satisfaction, hopelessness, self esteem, purpose in life and general psychiatric morbidity. The report also stated that adolescents' mental health rather predicted changes in maternal parental quality and not paternal parental quality. The report concluded that relative to maternal qualities, paternal qualities were generally found to exert a stronger impact on adolescent psychological wellbeing.
The problem Psychologists consider adolescence as a period of self search and identity formation. It is equally viewed as a period of conflict with parents as they attempt to define who they are. From the literature reviewed, proper parenting practice and parent-adolescent relationships at home would lead to better sense of self which translates into good personal and social adjustment, while poor parenting and parent-adolescent relationship leads to social incompetence. The question then is; how well do parents and adolescents in South Eastern States of Nigeria relate; has this relationship any influence on adolescents' psychological wellbeing- personally, socially and emotionally. These are the problems of this study. Purpose of Study The general purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between parental relationships and adolescents' psychological wellbeing in South Eastern States of Nigeria. Specifically the study investigated whether there are gender and state differences in psychological well being of adolescents from these areas. Research Questions: The following research questions guided the study;
Methodology The study was designed as a correlation survey, covering the South Eastern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The zone consists of five states, namely; Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Enugu states but only four states namely; Abia, Imo, Enugu and Anambra were used for the study. The states which are stratified into educational zones are all Igbo speaking and were in East Central State of Nigeria before the States creation. They however have different cultures and value systems. The population for the study comprises of senior secondary school students (SS 11) from one educational zone of each of the four states chosen comprising Awka Education zone in AnambraState, Enugu Education zone of Enugu State, Umuahia Education Zone in AbiaState and Owerri Education zone of Imo State. These zones were chosen because they are the state capitals and families of differing academic and socio-economic status reside there. The sample is 4,000 adolescents randomly selected from 4 schools in each of the state Education zone. This is further subdivided into 2,000 males and 2,000 females from 4 girl's and 4 boy's schools from each of the four Educational zones. The instrument for data collection is a 4 point scale questionnaire with items to elicit information on parent/child relationship, personal, social and emotional wellbeing of the adolescents. Mean scores were used to answer the research questions. A mean of 2.50 and above indicate good parent/child relationship and adolescent psychological wellbeing while a mean score below 2.50 indicate poor parent/child relationship and adolescent psychological wellbeing. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to ascertain the relationship between parent/adolescent relationship and adolescent psychological well being.
Result The result of the data collected from the respondents and analyzed is presented in tables 1 to 5. Preliminary Analyses: Means and standard deviations of the responses of all the items on parent-adolescent relationship are presented on table 1. The result shows that scores for 9 out of the 12 items were more than the criterion means value of 2.50. This indicates that parents generally relate well with their adolescent children. The mean and standard deviation scores of respondents on adolescents psychological wellbeing- personal, social and emotional- is presented in table 2. The result shows that on personal adjustment, the mean score of 4 out of 9 items were below the criterion mean of 2.50; socially, the mean scores of 6 out of the 14 items were below the criterion mean while 2 out of the 8 items of emotional wellbeing were below the criterion mean of 2.50. This indicates that the adolescents generally seem to be more socially and emotionally than personally well psychologically. Mean and standard deviation scores on psychological well being of males and females are presented in table 3. From the table, while the females are maladjusted in 3 areas of personal, 9 areas of social and 6 areas of emotional wellbeing; the males have problems in 5 areas of personal, 8 areas of social and 8 areas of emotional wellbeing. It implies that there is gender difference in psychological wellbeing of the adolescents. Table
I – mean responses on parent-adolescent
relationship. ITEMS
XD SD REM 1.
My parents makes me feel wanted and needed 3.46 .84 agree 2. Talk to
me in a warm loving way
3.33 .82 “ 3.
Encourage me to bring my friends home 2.84 .86 “ . and try to be pleasant to them. 4.
Ignore me as long as I don’t bother them. 1.94 1.09 disagree 5.
Care about what I would like when they make 3.21 1.01 agree plans (e.g. food and clothes) 6.
Punish me severely when they are angry 2.52 1.10 “ or annoyed. 7.
Make it easy for me to tell them things 3.09
.91 “ that are important to me 8.
Make me feel ashamed and guilty
2.91 1.09 “ when I misbehave. 9. Ignore me when I ask for help.
1.71 .19 disagree 10.
Disgrace me in front of my peers
2.51 1.07 “ when I misbehave. 11.
Make me feel what I do is important
2.86 1.09 agree 12.
Say unkind things to me.
1.90
.99 disagree Table 2 – Mean responses on
psychological wellbeing of adolescents. ITEMS
X SD REMARK Personal 1.
Easily
get annoyed over minor issues 2.40 1.07 disagree 2. Always
forgetful
2.25 1.11 “ 3. Always
stay alone
2.92 .93 agree 4.
Presents untidy appearance. 3.34 .95 “ 5. Does
not say the truth always 2.51 1.08 “ 6. Gets
frightened easily
2.15
1.10 disagree 7. Takes
things that are not mine 2.19 1.16 “ 8. Always
influenced by what people say 2.50 1.18 agree 9. Afraid
to speak to mates
3.16 .97 “ Social 10. Does
not stand for truth always 3.20 .88 agree 11. Always
finding fault with peers 2.61 1.06 “ 12. Does
not exercise my rights 2.99 1.02 “ 13. Often
talk about other students 2.48 1.003 disagree 14.
Usually has ‘I don’t care’ attitude 2.22 .98 “ 15. Never
like mixing with opposite sex 2.44 1.16 “ 16. Finds dissatisfaction
in associating 2.72 1.09 agree with other students.
17
Threatens to beat friends always 2.35 1.24 disagree 18. Very
gentle with classmates 2.49 1.14 “ 19. Tends
to quarrel a lot
2.29 1.22 “ 20 Finds
no pleasure in outdoor activities 2.75 1.15 agree 21 Makes
self unapproachable 3.10 .89 “ 22 Not
friendly to other people even staff 3.06 1.00 “ 23 Not
disturbed by criticism
2.73 1.04 “ Emotional 24. Feels
tensed always
2.55 0.93 agree 25. Looks
unhappy all the time 2.88 .95 “ 26. Uneasy
when I am with people 2.83 .97 “ 27. Feel
depressed
2.48 1.04 disagree 28. Makes
a lot of noise to be noticed. 2.96 1.10 agree 29.
Always
day dream
2.57 1.06 “ 30. Always
talk alone
2.78 .18 “ 31. Feels
self pity
2.43 1.09 disagree Table
3: Mean responses on gender differences in adolescent psychological wellbeing.
Male
Female Items
X SD Rem. X SD Rem. Personal 1.
Easily annoyed over minor issues 2.40 1.13 Disagree 2.47 .99 disagree 2.
Always forgetful
2.42 1.13 “
1.96 .99 “ 3.
Always stay alone
3.10 .87 agree 2.62 .96 agree 4.
Presents untidy appearance 3.60 .81 “
2.95 1.03 “ 5.
Does not say the truth always 2.60 1.15 “
2.26 .90 disagree 6.
Get frightened easily
2.23 1.67 disagree 1.97 .99 “ 7.
Take things that are not mine 2.11 1.20 “
2.20 1.11 “ 8.
Always influenced
2.59 1.13 agree 2.35 1.24 “ By
what people say 9.
Afraid to speak to mates. 3.26 .85 “
3.10 1.09 agree Social
adjustment 10.
Does not stand for truth always 3.34 .85 agree 3.08 .83 agree 11.
Always finding fault with peers 2.61 1.12 “
2.53 .990 “ 12.
Does not exercise his/her rights 3.00 1.02 “
3.05 .94 “ 13.
Often talks about other students. 2.42 1.01 disagree 2.54 .96 “ 14.
Usually has ‘I don’t care’ attitude. 2.31 1.02 disagree
`12.07 .82 disagree 15.
Never likes mixing
2.36 1.14 “ 2.46 1.20 “ with opposite sex 16.
Finds dissatisfaction in associating 2.62 1.16 agree 2.80 .99 agree with other students. 17.
Threatens to beat peers always 2.43 1.23 disagree 2.07 1.21 disagree 18.
Very gentle with classmates 2.33 1.19 “
2.70 1.04 agree 19.
Tends to quarrel a lot
2.34 1.25 “
2.25 1.21 disagree 20.
Finds no pleasure
2.84 1.22 agree 2.57 1.05 agree in
outdoor activities 21.
Makes self unapproachable 3.19 .713 agree 3.00 1.07 agree 22.
not friendly to other people 3.03 .98 “
3.20 .99 “ 23.
Not disturbed by criticism
2.57 1.08 “
2.93 .94 “ Emotional 24.
Feels tensed always.
2.69 .89 “
2.34 .97 disagree 25.
Looks unhappy all the time 2.95 .23 “
2.76 .98 agree 26.
Uneasy when I am with people 3.03 .98 “
3.20 .99
“ 27.
Feels depressed
2.86 .91 “
2.89 .91
“ 28.
Makes a lot of noise to be noticed 2.72 .99 “
2.23 1.05 disagree 29. Always
daydream
2.80 1.07 “
3.12 1.14 agree 30.
Always talk alone. 2.54 1.07 “
2.62 1.07 “ 31. Feels self pity
2.79 .91 “
2.73 1.10 “ Mean
above 2.50 =agree, mean below 2.50 =
disagree. . Table 4a: Mean responses on
psychological well being from Abia and
Abia
Anambra Items
X SD Rem. X SD Rem.
Personal 1. Easily get annoyed over minor issues 2.15 1.24 disagree 1.93 .96 disagree 2.
Always forgetful
2.45 .96 “
2.25 1.06 “ 3.
Always stay alone
3.33 .69 agree 2.40 1.08 “ 4.
Presents untidy appearance.
3.40 .99 “
3.60 .50 agree 5.
Does not say the truth always 2.70 .94 “
3.15 1.05 “ 6.
Gets frightened easily
2.18 .84 disagree 2.93 1.44 “ 7.
Takes things that are not mine 2.24 1.22 “
1.78 .80 disagree 8.
Always influenced
3.15 .86 agree 3.13 1.34 agree by what people say 9.
Afraid to speak to mates
3.58 .61 “
3.13 .88 “ Social
Adjustment 10
Does not stand for truth always 3.00 .89 agree 3.50 .58 agree 11.
Always finding fault with peers 2.36 .02 disagree 3.18 .50 “ 12
Does not exercise his/her rights 3.15 .71 agree 3.58 .81 “ 13
Often talk about other students 2.33 .95 disagree 2.68 1.07 “ 14
Usually has ‘I don’t care’ attitude 2.42 1.02 “ 1.93 .88 disagree 15
Never like mixing with opposite sex 2.30 1.23 “
1.98 1.25 “ 16
Finds dissatisfaction in associating 3.21 .89 agree 2.85 1.27 agree With other students.
17
Threatens to beat friends always 2.18 1.398 disagree 2.75 1.87 “ 18.
Very gentle with classmates 2.67 1.13 agree 2.15 .87 disagree 19.
Tends to quarrel a lot
1.90 2.41 disagree 1.13 .18 disagree 20
Finds no pleasure
3.27 .57 agree 3.48 .97 agree in outdoor activities 21
Makes self unapproachable
3.24 .86 “
3.03 .92 “ 22
Not friendly to other people
2.79 .92 “
3.15 .77 “ 23
Not disturbed by criticism
2.55 .03 “
2.48 1.13 “ Emotional 24.
Feels tensed always
2.36 1.02 disagree 3.30 .79 agree 25.
Looks unhappy all the time
3.27 .83 agree 3.30 .79 “ 26.
Uneasy when I am with people 2.70 .94 “
3.10 1.22 “ 27.
Feel depressed
2.09 .91 disagree 2.90 1.26 “ 28.
Makes a lot of noise to be noticed. 3.06 .96 agree 2.38 1.35 disagree 29.
Always day dream
2.39 .93 disagree 3.03 1.05 agree 30
Always talk alone
2.91 .97 agree 3.15 .77 “ 31.
Feels self pity
2.39 .86 disagree 2.58 .84 “ Table 4b: Mean responses on
psychological well being from
Items
X SD Rem. X SD Rem. Personal 1. Easily get annoyed over minor issues 2.54 1.02 agree 2.52 .95 agree 2.
Always forgetful
2.16 1.10 disagree 2.41 1.30 disagree 3.
Always stay alone
2.89 .90 agree 2.96 .97 agree 4.
Presents untidy appearance.
3.33 1.00 “
3.15 .90 “ 5.
Does not say the truth always 2.37 1.06 disagree 2.45 1.14 disagree 6.
Gets frightened easily
2.05 1.00 “
2.00 .82 “ 7.
Takes things that are not mine 2.41 1.18 ”
2.70 1.06 agree 8.
Always influenced
2.23 1.14 “
2.48 1.08 disagree by what people say 9.
Afraid to speak to mates
3.18 .99 agree 2.63 1.07 agree Social
Adjustment 10
Does not stand for truth always 3.34 .83 “
2.70 1.06 agree 11.
Always finding fault with peers 2.47 1.10 disagree 3.19 .91 “ 12
Does not exercise his/her rights 2.95 1.01 agree 2.56 1.27 “ 13
Often talk about other students 2.45 .94 disagree 2.67 1.23 “ 14
Usually has ‘I don’t care’ attitude 2.18 .91 “
2.44 1.25 disagree 15
Never like mixing with opposite sex 2.41 1.15 “
3.07 .95 agree 16
Finds dissatisfaction in associating 2.51 1.12 agree 2.93 .77 “ With other students.
17
Threatens to beat friends always 2.17 1.22 disagree 3.04 1.08 “ 18.
Very gentle with classmates 2.53 1.13 agree 2.33 .95 disagree 19.
Tends to quarrel a lot
2.35 1.22 disagree 2.41 1.21 “ 20
Finds no pleasure
2.45 1.20 “
2.96 .97 agree in outdoor activities 21
Makes self unapproachable
3.05 .96 agree 2.96 .97 “ 22
Not friendly to other people
3.04 1.06 “
2.93 .95 “ even
staff 23
Not disturbed by criticism 2.63 1.10 “
2.78 1.04 “ Emotional 24.
Feels tensed always
2.58 .86 agree 2.48 1.00 disagree 25.
Looks unhappy all the time
2.69 .94 “
2.89 1.04 agree 26.
Uneasy when I am with people 2.90 .93 “
2.56 .883 “ 27.
Feel depressed
2.65 1.02 “
1.96 .75 disagree 28.
Makes a lot of noise to be noticed. 2.10 1.05 disagree 3.15 1.12 agree 29.
Always day dream
2.52 1.00 agree 2.89 .88 “ 30
Always talk alone
2.51 1.22 “
2.07 .77 disagree 31.
Feels self pity
2.55 .88
“ 2.32 .89 “ Table 5: Inter-corelation of
parent/adolescent relationship and adolescent psychological wellbeing.
Parental relationship Items 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Adolescents PWB Personal 13 -.058 .213* .245** .163** .210** .143** .269** .148** .021 .172 .021
.172** 14 .128* .160** .243** .043 .021 .362** .100* .181** .299** -.053 .132** .190** 15 -.031 -.038 .355** -.052 .071 -.206**.109* -.022 -.166**-.257**-.108* .124** 16 -.239 .274** .048 -.149**.180** -.208**.261** .043 -.362**-.110* .093 -.144** 17 -.080 -.074 .316** .311** -.187**.337** -.200**-.090 .427** .175** .080 .302** 18 .008 .010 .265** .154** -.144**.304** -.009 .196** .330** .100* .117* .190** 19 .059 .176** .217** .174** -.136**.441** .128* .173** .374** .301** .378** 1.93** 20 -.042 .032 .250** .313** .144* .249** .073 .244** .149** .211** -.070 .007 21 .091 -.105* .347** .071 .217** .253** .101* .26** -.017 .073 -.150**
.009 Social 22 .280** .183** .233* -.235**.342** .027 .377** .294** -.203**-.192**-.006 -.129* 23 .127* .258* .122* -.082 .024 .194** .177* .214** .079 -.106* .355**
-029 24 .115* -.087 .185** .125* .033 .340** -.019 .206** .233** .168** .138** -.184** 25 -.168**.051 -.050 .034 -.109* .046 -.052 .092 -.051 -.017 .050 .143** 26 -.025 .034 .116** .246** -.059 .125* .111* .400 .404** .066 .071 .368** 27 -0.37 .087 .333** -013 -.124* .251** .012 .181** .171** .243** .202** .140** 28 -.025 .099 .068 -.031 -.050 .145** .075 .072 .082 .060 .023 .036 29 -.029 .106* .072** .223** -.184**.194** -.089 -.002 .161** .082 .279** .041 30 -.051 -.182**.100* .327** -.021 061 -.079 .020 .126* -.053 .009 .040 31 .053 .263** .102* .106* -.009 -.115**-.097 .038 .059 -.059 .184** -.025 32 .123* .151* .074 -.023 -.046 .230 .020 .247** .009 .253** .033 -.077 33 .146** -.059 .339** -.249**.127* .274** .153** .140** .089 .087 .229** .001 34 .023 -.148**-.161**-.298**.186** .217** -.058 .069 -.106* -.463**-.143**. 072 35 .016 -.038 -.239**-.320**.037 -.118 -004 .067 -.273**-.284**.125* -.244** Emotional 36 .071 .047 .200** .069 -.018 -.190**.097 .082 .007 .236** .052 .003 37 .056 .121 .338** -.022 -.017 .258** -.064 .170** .146** .060 .220** .075 38 -068 .003 .137** -.058 .000 .202** -130** .044 .109* -.179**. 240** .184** 39 .152** .277** .054 .118* .218** -023 .226** .202 .183** .048 -.224**.184** 40 .047 .010 -.064 .039 -.117* -.029 .086 .121* .089 .000 .035 -.060 41 .214** .142** -.089 -.214**.106* -.074 .210** .135** -.124* -.195**
.091 -.128* 42 .073 .160** .080 -.204**.125* .072 .102* .008 -.098* -.204**
.020 .057 43 .048 .011 .107 -036 .009 .109* .085 -.152 -.078 -.129* .028 -.054 *
not significant at 0.05 level, P < .05 **
significant at 0.05 level. Tables 4a and 4b contains the mean and standard deviation scores on state difference in adolescent psychological wellbeing. From the tables, Adolescents from all the four states presents untidy appearances and are afraid to speak to mates. While adolescents from Abia, Enugu and Imo states always stay alone, those from Abia and Anambra are influenced by what people say. Adolescents from Enugu and Imo easily get annoyed over minor issues and Anambra adolescents get easily frightened. In the social sphere, all adolescents do not stand for truth always, exercise their rights, finds dissatisfaction in associating with other students, makes self unapproachable, and not friendly to other people. While adolescents from Abia and Enugu are very gentle with classmates, those from Imo and Anambra are not. Abia, Enugu and Imo adolescents are not disturbed by criticisms while those from Anambra are. Adolescents from Abia, Anambra and Imo finds no pleasure in outdoor activities, always finds fault with and threatens to beat peers, those from Abia tends to quarrel a lot. Emotionally, adolescents from all the states always look unhappy and uneasy with people. Those from Abia, Anambra and Enugu always talk alone and day dreams; Abia and Imo makes a lot of noise to be noticed, Enugu and Anambra adolescents feel self pity. On parental relationship, it is observed that parental relationship predicted adolescent psychological wellbeing - personal, social and emotional. For instance, parents encouraging their adolescent children to bring their friends home, ignoring adolescents as long as they do not bother the parents and punishing them severely when they misbehave, predicted adolescent personal and social adjustment. In the same vein making adolescents feel ashamed and guilty when they misbehave, ignoring them when they ask for help and saying unkind things affects their personal adjustment while making adolescents feel important in the home predicts their social adjustment. Discussion The study investigated the influence of parental relationship on the psychological wellbeing of southeastern adolescents. From the findings, the adolescents have more emotional and social than personal problems. Socially, the respondents in this study do not stand for truth always, finds faults and do not associate with others. Emotionally, they always day-dream and seek attention via negative attitudes. These attitudes may be as a result of poor management of adolescent regressive behaviors by parents which make them withdrawn, fantasize and compensate by being noisy. This finding supports Videon's (2005) report that parental (mothers and fathers) relationship with adolescents have a lot of influence on the adolescents' psychological wellbeing. On the influence of gender on psychological wellbeing of adolescents, the males seem to adjust better than the females. Although both groups are afraid to speak to their mates, females do not stand for truth and are influenced by what people say more than the males. The findings seem to support the report of Symons and Blythe in De Anda and Smith (1993) that while the boys are more prided, less dependent, attractive and popular with peers, girls have feelings of isolation, submissive behavior (may be as a result of criticisms) and less popular with peers. Lending credence to this finding, Utum (2004) in her study on perceived parental acceptance/rejection as a correlate of creativity among primary school pupils, found that there is gender difference in creativity and attributed this to the acceptance and freedom given to the boy child to express himself and explore his environment. Lack of acceptance she continued, leads to rejection which undermines the security of the child- especially the girl child. The issue of acceptance and lack of it for the male and female children starts early in life and is based on the fact that the Igbos value male children more since they are the ones to carry on the family name and lineage. This however, is detrimental to the psychological health of the children. The fact that female respondents in this study present untidy appearance more than the males is surprising. It may be due to the fact that the current fashion trend among the adolescents is multicolor- they use multicolored hair attachments and in dressing/clothing. Some adolescent girls, parents complain, wear torn and washed-faded jeans, all in the name of fashion. There are state differences in adolescent psychological well being. While Enugu and AnambraState adolescents have less personal problems, Abia and ImoState adolescents have less emotional problems. Generally, all the adolescents neither stand for the truth at all times, exercise their rights, nor find pleasure in associating with other students. The state differences may be as a result of their different cultures. It is generally believed that Anambra State is the home for commerce, business and industry for both old and young person's; their food and ceremonies are equally peculiar to them, so they encounter more social and emotional problems in the course of the business transactions. It may also be the consequence of authoritarian and/or permissive parenting which produces socially incompetent children according to research reports. Imo and AbiaStates are known for education, and their culture is equally peculiar to them. Hence, they encounter less emotional problems. The fact that they also experience social problems may equally lie on parental practices which may be either authoritarian or permissive. Enugu state on the other hand is more agrarian than educational or commercial. They, however, have their own peculiar culture and less personal adjustment problems. This report supports Blo et al's view that the cultural milieu and social situation where an individual is reared, determines the person's personality.
Conclusion and Recommendations
From the findings of this study, in spite of the fact that parents generally seem to relate well with their adolescent children, they (adolescents) experience personal, social and emotional problems which differ according to gender and state. It is, therefore, recommended that each adolescent problem should be handled by guidance counselors with full understanding of the cultural milieu of origin and gender of the client. Besides, the Igbos' conception of the importance of male and female children that leads to differential parental practices should be cognitively restructured through discussion programmes in the media. Family counselors should not only relate with parents of their adolescent clients with psychological problems but equally organize family seminars on this issue to reduce the social and emotional problems of the adolescents with particular reference to the girls.
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