Influence of Adolescents’ Perception of Parental Treatment Practices on School Belongingness and Academic Engagement Among S.h.s Students in Central Region

Abstract

Adolescents’ perceptions of parental treatment practices and their influence on school belongingness and academic engagement were examined in this study. A cross-sectional survey design was used for the study. Data was collected from a sample of 361 stratified sampled participants using a questionnaire. Frequencies, percentages, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and multiple regression were used to analyse the data. Parents are regarded as indispensable actors in a student’s education as they have a positive influence on the school belongingness and academic engagement of adolescents. Among other aspects of parental treatment practices, punishment was believed to be the most salient factor adolescents considered in their socialization with regards to their school belongingness and academic engagement. Again, a statistically significant relationship was found between parental treatment practices and adolescents' school belongingness. Additionally, there was a strong correlation between parental treatment practices and adolescents' academic engagements. This demonstrates that if parental treatment practices are implemented properly, adolescents’ sense of school belongingness and academic engagement will eventually improve which will result in high academic performance. The study recommends it is imperative that, parents create and maintain good parental treatment practices which afford adolescents the conducive and supportive environment to thrive in. This will lay the foundation for a more positive and effective parent-child relationship in Ghana's educational system