EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAMILY BACKGROUND AND MARITAL PERCEPTIONS AMONG UPPER BASIC 2 SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS IN DELTA STATE

This study explored the relationship between family background and marital perceptions among Upper Basic 2 Social Studies students in Delta State, Nigeria. Guided by four research questions and three hypotheses, the study adopted a survey research design suitable for examining prevailing student attitudes toward marriage and the influence of familial variables. The population comprised 49,796 Upper Basic 2 students across public secondary schools in Delta State. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select a sample of 450 students (250 females and 200 males) across Delta North, Delta South, and Delta Central senatorial districts. A structured questionnaire titled Family Background and Students Attitudes Toward Marriage Questionnaire (FB-SATM-Q) was used for data collection. The instrument, validated by experts in Social Studies Education and Measurement and Evaluation, yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.76 using Cronbach Alpha. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment correlation and regression analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that family structure and parental marital status significantly influenced students marital perceptions, while gender and socio-economic background had no significant effect. Students generally held positive views about marriage, emphasizing love, emotional readiness, and mutual understanding. The study concludes that emotional and familial stability outweigh socio-economic factors in shaping marital attitudes. It recommends the integration of family life education into the Social Studies curriculum and strengthened guidance and counseling programmes in schools.