CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Conventional wisdom regards parent–child communication as an oxymoron. As it is prevalent among children, however, conventional wisdom can be misleading. Although it is certainly true that communication during the early age is a significant challenge for parents and children, this issue emanates from the changing nature of the relationship, not from an inherent inability of child and parents to engage in clear, concise and meaningful conversation (Collins, Gleason, & Sesma, 1997). When families begin to move through the transitional period from childhood into adulthood, the frequency and content of their interactions will begin to change. Increasing child autonomy unavoidably affects patterns of self-disclosure, commonly shared experiences, and perceptions of privacy and responsibilities. Thus, even in the presence of these significant changes familial emotional attachment are noteworthy for their resilience and continuity.
To the extent that there is a generation gap, it is as much a product of incongruent perceptions and expectations as it is of poor communication (Steinberg, 2001). Parents-child relationship does not necessarily share the same view of the relationship and their ability to communicate, nor are their perspectives typically congruent with those of observers (relationship outsiders). Parents and children seek after various verifiable objectives and schedules in regards to the children's autonomy, which may offer ascent to communication difficulties (Collins and Luebker, 1994). Be that as it may, poor communication is not destined. Families vary generally in the degree to which autonomy corrosively affects parent–child interaction. For some it is a difficult passage, however most families are well prepared to explore the formative problems of their children.
Parents who communicate poorly to their children will make their children feel at a loss, a circumstance whereby the children will at last be in a state of confusion. Related literature reveals issue among parents and children is one of the components that cause children to feel lonely and discouraged (Hartos and Power, 2000). These feelings of loneliness and discouragement will in the long run bring about those children being engaged with antisocial behaviour, for example, drug abuse, theft, thuggery, fight etc. as an approach to express their feelings. Developmental psychologists explain that adolescents years that must be endured by the children is surely a period of tempest and stress since they were experiencing physical and passionate changes because of organic changes which is of normal procedure that happens to all person that have experienced the change stages from childhood years to the adulthood (Rathus, 2010). In any case, communication process that permits a transparent practice is an ideal mechanism for the children to share their issues or to voice out their thoughts without them being terrified. This in the long run will create positive qualities in the children consequently making them a troublesome target for those with bad intention as expressed by Barberet and Fisher (2009) who revealed that close relationship among parent and children could ruin children's misconduct.
Past studies have indicated that family communication does not have any significant effect on children misconduct. Several past studies have revealed that good parent-child communication is one of the important factors that could enable good interpersonal relationship among children (Clark and Shields, 1997). Klein et al. (1997) also showed that parent-child communication is one of the variables that have connection with the increase or decrease in children's interpersonal relationship. According to Hartos and Power (2000), parent-child communication have connection with children’s positive behaviours as well as good academic performance and achievement and also children’s’ antisocial behaviours like thuggery, drug abuse, and so on. While Barberet and Fisher (2009) argued that close too much intimacy between parent and children could encourage children's misbehaviour. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the influence of poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
One major factor that causes conflict in the family is poor. A family that fails to properly communicate in a clear term is building on a wrong foundation for the children. Communication is at the centre of our being, a situation whereby, communication is not used appropriately, issues could emerge and where there are issues and there is successful communication, such issues could be settled without any problem.
In a family where there is poor communication, the effect of it will be no doubt be felt on the children interpersonal relationship which will however have problem on the social behaviour of the children. It might affect the interpersonal relationship of the parents too and also affect the occupation of the parents in term of low productivity level at work. This explains the importance of communication in the family as it reflects in every sphere of the family.
Poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship if not handled appropriately can lead to children turning to another thing in the society which could lead to other problems in the family. This study therefore seeks to examine the influence of poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to examine the influence of poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship. The specific objectives are however:
i. To assess find out the ways parents communicate positively with their children to enhance their interpersonal relationship
ii. To understand how to avoid negative communication with the children to help their interpersonal relationship development
iii. To examine the reasons behind poor communication between parents and children
iv. To investigate the effects of poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions were raised in the course of carrying out this study
i. How can parents communicate positively with their children to enhance their interpersonal relationship?
ii. How can negative communication with the children be avoided to help their interpersonal relationship development?
iii. What are the reasons behind poor communication between parents and children?
iv. What are the effects of poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following statements were considered to be the research hypotheses for this study:
i. There is a significant relation between positive communication by the parents and children interpersonal relationship
ii. There is a significant relationship between poor communication by the parents and children interpersonal relationship
1.6 Significance of the Study
Available literatures reveal that researchers have not systematically sought the perspectives of both parents on the topic of poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship. Another innovative aspect of this study is the incorporation of perspectives of both parents and children. Consequently, this study offers new knowledge to help fathers and mothers, as well as the Nigerian society in general, to increase their understanding of the complexities of parent-child communication. This study also benefits the development of government policy – policy that is designed to provide programs to improve family communication in the Nigerian communities, and probably more importantly, to provide useful guidance to parents and children about how to deal with the current changes and improve parent-child communication. Findings also inform the development of recommendations to assist the Nigerian government services in the development of policy to support child-rearing.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study on the influence of poor interpersonal communication in parent child relationship was carried out among 50 selected family (comprising father, mother and three from their children) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
Every research study carried out usually has its own challenge or challenges as the case may be and this study is not an exemption. The major challenge of this study is the respondents’ attitudes. Some respondents (families) were very economical with the truth, some were reluctant to answer the questions with all honesty but the researcher was able to make them understand that the questions were for nothing but just for research purpose.
Another problem of this study is the issue of finance as the researcher was not financially buoyant as at the time of carrying out this study. One major cause of this financial constraint is the Coronavirus pandemic that made the state to be in total lockdown which affected the source of finance of the researcher.
1.9 Definition of Terms
The following terms were used in this study:
Child: is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of child generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority.
Communication: is the act of conveying meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs, symbols, and semiotic rules.
Interpersonal relationship:
Parent: is the caretaker of a child. A biological parent is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male through the sperm, and a female through the ovum.
Poor Communication: the lack of proper language, accent or slang while one speaks. It can be improved by consistent practice and work out and also by improving our soft skills.
