Influence of Family Structure on Secondary School Students Attitudes towards Marriage and Divorce Concepts in Egor, Edo State, Nigeria

This study examines the influence of different family structures on secondary school students' attitudes toward marriage and divorce in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. The study explores how family structure shape secondary school student’s perceptions of marriage stability and the acceptability of divorce. Two research questions were raised to guide the study, and they were hypothesized at a 0.05 level of significance. A survey research design was employed, with 380 Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS 3) students selected from six public schools through a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire validated by three experts in Social Studies and Measurement and Evaluation at the University of Benin. The instrument demonstrated acceptable reliability, yielding Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.74 for the marriage attitude scale and 0.70 for the divorce attitude scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and Least Significant Difference (LSD) post-hoc tests. Results indicate significant differences in students’ attitudes based on family structure. Students from monogamous families exhibited more positive views on marriage and a more conservative stance on divorce, whereas students from single-parent households displayed more critical perspectives on marriage and a higher acceptance of divorce. The findings highlight the critical role of family structure in shaping young people’s attitudes toward marriage and divorce, with implications for educational policies, counseling interventions, and family support programs. The study recommends integrating family dynamics education into school curricula, providing tailored counseling services, establishing mentorship programs, fostering school-parent collaboration, and conducting further research to better understand and address the impact of family type on students' attitudes toward marriage and divorce.