INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL DIVORCE ON SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF JOS

This study investigated the influence of parental divorce on social adjustment and academic achievement of undergraduate Social Studies students at the University of Jos, Nigeria. The study was guided by five objectives and five corresponding research questions. Two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design. The population comprised 528 undergraduate Social Studies students across 100 to 400 levels. A sample of 200 students was selected using proportional stratified sampling technique. A structured questionnaire with 25 items was used for data collection, validated by experts, and reliability established at 0.72 using Cronbach's alpha. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) for research questions and independent t-test for hypotheses. The findings revealed that parental divorce significantly negatively influences students' social adjustment, manifesting in difficulties with peer bonding, trust issues, emotional instability, and social withdrawal. Parental divorce also significantly negatively affects academic achievement, disrupting concentration, class attendance, and examination focus. Major challenges of social adjustment included feeling disconnected from the university community, lack of a support system, and anxiety in social situations. The study concluded that parental divorce is a critical factor undermining both social and academic outcomes of undergraduate students. Recommendations include establishment of specialized counselling units, sensitization programmes for parents, and institutional support mechanisms for affected students.