FAMILY DISRUPTIONS AND ADJUSTMENT NEEDS AS CORRELATES OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL EXPLOSION AMONG MALE STUDENTS IN RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IMO STATE

The present study determined family disruptions and adjustment needs as correlates of out-of-school explosion among male junior public secondary schools in Owerri Education Zone II. The researchers posed four research questions and formulated four hypotheses. The population of the study was 1040 students from eleven public junior secondary school students in Ngor-Okpala and Aboh Mbaise (Owerri Education Zone II). The sample of the study was 200 JSS2 students from six public junior secondary schools in Ngor-Okpala and Aboh-Mbaise (Owerri Education Zone II). Three sets of adopted Questionnaires titled: Students Adjustment Scale (SAS); Family Disruption Questionnaire (FDQ) and Out-of-School Explosion Questionnaire (OSOEQ). The findings of the study showed that there was a strong and positive relationship between children from divorced homes and out-of-school explosion among JSS2 students. Another finding was that death of caregivers denied students necessary school provisions for effective learning and that physical insecurity in school deprived students proper adjustment in resulting in either dropping out or underachievement in school. The implication of the findings was that increase in out-of-school students in Ngor-Okpala and Aboh Mbaise Local Government Areas would have been caused by family conflicts in many homes in the area. The researcher, based on the findings and implications recommended that parents should seek marriage counselors to settle dispute rather than resorting to separation or divorce which affects students leading to many leaving school before completion of their programme.