PARENTAL SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES AMONG STUDENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN OBIO/AKPOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Abstract

The study investigated parental support and academic performance in social studies among students with hearing impairment in special schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The study adopted correlational research design. The study was guided by three research questions and three null hypotheses. The population of the study comprised fifty-four (54) students with hearing impairment in the area. The sample size was 54 students with hearing impairment which was adopted through the use of census sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire, titled: “'Parental Support Questionnaire' (PSQ) and 'Social Studies Performance Test' (SSPT)”. The instruments were validated by the researchers’ supervisor and experts in Special Needs Education. The reliability of the instrument was determined through test re-test reliability method which yielded a reliability index for (PSQ) as r=0.71 and (SSPT)as r=0.73. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to answer the research questions and test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that there was high positive relationship between parental emotional support, parental social support, parental academic support and academic performance in social studies among students with hearing impairment in special schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. That there was significant relationship between parental emotional support, parental social support, parental academic support and academic performance in social studies among students with hearing impairment in special schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. It was recommended among others that; teachers should be encouraged to realize that they are loco parentis and as such in the absence of the parents, they should also provide emotional, social and academic support to the students