Mothers’ perception of non-resident migrant father’s involvement in the wellbeing of the left-behind children in the Drobo Traditional Area

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2013-12-04
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This study examines the effects of non-resident father‘s involvement on child wellbeing among migrant families in the Drobo Traditional Area. A mixed method approach combining a crosssectional survey, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions was used to determine whether migrant father‘s contact, verbal communication and over-prolonged stay abroad significantly influenced child internalizing behaviour, academic achievement and externalizing behaviour. Utilizing a combination of cluster sampling and purposive sampling, a total population of one hundred and thirty-one (N=131) was used for this study. From the bivariate tables and chi-square tests, it was realised that father‘s contact with left behind children was not dependent on mother‘s marital status. Father‘s verbal communication negatively influenced child academic achievement and father‘s contact did not relate to differences in boys and girls internalizing behaviour. Finally, the study revealed that father‘s over-prolonged stay abroad did not influence boys and girls externalizing behaviours. From the findings of this study, it was recommended that father absence is a major determining factor in child psychological outcomes and the involvement of migrant fathers to child upbringing aside the financial contributions would produce more positive outcomes for child wellbeing.
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A Thesis submitted to Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Art,2013
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