Abstract

This study investigated family behaviour as a determinant of moral development among adolescents in Cameroon. Specifically, the work examined the extent to which monitoring, communication, engagement of adolescents in decision making and collaboration in family responsibilities correlate with moral development in adolescents in Cameroon. Three hundred and eighty-four participants consisting of 214 females and 170 males within the age range of 14 – 20 were sampled from two classes (form 5 and upper sixth) across three secondary schools (private, lay private and public) in the Limbe I sub division of the Fako division South West region of Cameroon. The survey research designs were used and the sample of the study emerged through the simple random sampling technique. Three questionnaires (students, parents and other family members’ questionnaires) were designed and administered on the participants for data collection based on the two variables of the study. A pre-designed EpiData Version 3.1 (EpiData Association, Odense Denmark, 2008) database which has in-built consistency and validation checks was used to enter the data. Further consistency, data range and validation checks were also performed in SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Inc., 2012) to identify invalid codes. Data were made essentially of categorical variables and they were analysed using frequency and proportions and Multiple Response Analysis to aggregate responses within conceptual components. Reliability test was performed to assess the internal consistency of responses using Cronbach Alpha reliability analysis. Chi-Square test was used to compare proportions for significant difference. Composite variables were generated to aggregate score within conceptual components. The effect of monitoring, communication, engagement and collaboration on the moral development of students was assessed using Spearman’s Rho correlation test. Descriptive and inferential statistics methods were used in data analysis. Findings indicated that monitoring ((R=0.527; P=0.000), communication (R=0.647; P=0.000), engagement in decision making ((R=0.364; P=0.011) and collaboration in family responsibilities (R=0.546; P=0.000) were all significant determinants of moral development in adolescents in Cameroon. The above findings indicate that there is a strong association between family behaviour and the development of morality in adolescents’ in Cameroon. However, this does not imply that family behaviour is a causal factor. The findings will also act as empirical evidence/literature to the aspect under study, the findings will also enrich the knowledge bank and fill loop holes as far as literature is concerned within the area of study, this will assist other researchers in the field of study. The researcher recommends among others that; parents, guidance counsellors, PTA’S, media, religious bodies and schools should work hand in hand and develop programs that will foster mutual trust and understanding between the home and the young ones so as to train, encourage, admonish and equip them with values that will foster their development morally.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Historically, Berkowitz and Grych (1998) posited that communities have been concerned with the type of person that children become throughout human history, and scholars have addressed the topic for over two thousand years. Aristotle addressed this issue in the Nichomachean Ethics; Jean Jacques Rousseau faced it directly in Emile in 1762. Over the past century a wealth of data has been amassed concerning the development of morality in children and adolescents. Throughout this time, the role of the family especially parents and other adult, in the children’s moral development of has been a central focus.

Contextually, other aspects of family behaviour which are noted or observed to have an impact on moral development in adolescents is that some family members either neglect their roles as primary caregivers and managers at home and in the life of their children where ever and whenever they may be. This has therefore placed them at the mercy of their peers, caregivers and the outer environment around the home neighbourhood with all the immorality there in as such the way they develop cannot be in accordance with the norms.

Today’s family members have ignored the need to continue the support of initiatives that afford young adolescents with developmentally appropriate learning experiences and environments. This involves poor communication, less support, authoritarian and authoritative parenting as well as inadequate time spent together between parents, siblings, caregivers and children (adolescents).

In some families, some parents and other family members are often too busy with their careers, work and business or not quite educated enough to scaffold adolescents at this stage. The consequence therefore are mal adaptive behaviours, open disrespect, dishonesty, lies telling, conformity to pressure from peers in regards to experimentation with substances like drugs and alcohol not forgetting indecent dressing.

Again, the young people of Cameroon often pose broad, unanswerable questions about life and refuse to accept trivial responses from their parents and older siblings. They also view moral issues like sex, alcoholism, communication, dressing style and family norms in the light of their peers and not their family. Also, due to these changes, they start to consider complex moral and ethical questions, but they tend to be unprepared to cope with them. Consequently, young people in Cameroon struggle with making sound moral and ethical choices, a situation that has placed them at loggerhead with their families.

In addition, in the light of this study, adolecscents tend to emulate their esteemed peers and non-parent adults. While they prefer to make their own choices, the family remains a critical factor in final decision-making. Adolescents are rebellious toward their parents and adults, yet tend to depend on them. They also frequently test the limits of acceptable behaviour and challenge family authority. They overreact to social situations, ridicule others especially older siblings and embarrass them. Once rejected, mistreated or punished at home, they turn to peers who often ill advise them and instead assist them to engage in immoral acts like use of drugs and engagement in romantic and sexual relationships. This confirms Kellough & Kellough (2008) who have posited that when experiencing adult rejection and maltreatment, young adolescents may seek the seemingly secure social environment of their peer group.

As observed, another single most powerful family influence on children’s moral development is induction (a discipline technique in which a parent uses reason and explanation of the consequences for others of a child’s actions.). Explaining parental behaviour and its implications for the child and others is linked to greater empathy, more highly developed conscience, higher levels of moral reasoning, and altruism. But why should this rather simple process be so potent for shaping moral development? According to Berkowitz and Grych (1998) it explicitly links the self and other, simultaneously stimulating children’s understanding of the reasons for choosing one behaviour over another and the impact of that behaviour on another person. Thus, it directly addresses and connects the cognitive (moral reasoning) and affective (empathy) aspects of moral functioning, and helps children to internalize standards for moral behaviour.

As Lickona (1983) pointed out, children need to see adult family members lead good lives, but they also need to know why they do it. For their example to have maximum impact, children need to know the values and beliefs involved. Family members teach  directly by telling. They need to practice what they preach, but they also need to preach what they practice. It also spurs children’s perspective-taking abilities by focusing on how others might feel or think in a given situation.

It seems as observed in Cameroon, that some family members specifically parents and siblings have done the opposite by failing to induct the younger ones into the right activities. They both preach morality to the children yet fail to pursue such in their behaviours. The cosmopolitan nature of some cities and towns in Cameroon also seem to provide favourable grounds for jamborees, partying, feasting, alcoholism, and other nocturnal activities carried out by some people within the society and even family members at times. Unfortunately this is often observed carefully by most adolescents who by virtue of their status as anxious, worried and identity seekers often experiment later during school hours or other ungodly hours with friends and peers. This is in line with Lickona (1983) who has indicated that the induction of children into the positive path of life has remained largely a theoretical sermon void of practical illustrations.

According to Angenant (1990) it has become more difficult to educate children on the basis of specific historical norms and values which seem to be losing the impact it used to have. Owing to misrepresentations in the media parents are often confused about what norms and values childrearing should embrace. Even young children are exposed to the confusion and question the norms that their parents wish to convey (DeWitt&Booysen,1995). Watching violence on television as well as other bad TV contents because of poor family supervision and monitoring triggers increased aggressiveness in children and transmits negative thoughts and behaviours which they later on manifest with peers and sometimes other siblings, (Bezuidenhout & Joubert, 2003).

In Cameroon, there are multiple TV satellite companies that distribute channels to households at very cheap rates. The contents of most of these channels are very negative as they portray indecent dressing, alcoholism, romance, violence and open disrespect of elders by the younger ones. In most homes parents and older siblings who are supposed to be in control are more concerned with their careers and businesses such that the younger ones are left to themselves to view what they like when they want and they way they want. Even when parents and older siblings are at home, they too join the younger ones to view TV contents that are hostile to the development of morality. The most recent and tempting TV programs that are rocking the town and setting the pace in most homes are the American and European telenovelas which seem to be the most watched by households in spite of their romantic and highly sexual presentations. This has posed a threat to the development of morality in adolescents in particular and as such warrants investigation in order to determine scientifically the reality and as such propose solutions.

Another fundamental issue with family behaviour considered to be a problem to adolescent’s moral development is that of social interaction. According to Le Roux (1992), opportunities for interactions with members of the social group is essential in learning to be  a moral person. Social interactions play an important role in the child’s moral development by providing them with what Hurlock (1987), describes as; standards of socially approved behaviour and a source of motivation through social approval and disapproval to conform to these standards. Without interaction with others, children would not know what socially approved behaviour is nor would they have a source of motivation to integrate within the family group.

Children learn from parents and other family members what their social group regards as right or wrong behaviour. From social disapproval or punishment for wrong behaviour and approval for right behaviour the child desires the necessary motivation to conform to standards of behaviour prescribed by family members (Hurlock, 1987). It is thus clear that social interactions play a very important role in assisting the  adolescents towards acceptable  behaviour  in the society in which he or she lives. However it is quite unfortunate that some family members in Cameroon who are supposed to be role models not just by speech but behaviour wise have failed woefully in the task of social interaction. The family and its elements have fallen short of portraying the norms for the children to follow.

The situation definitely contradicts Nsamenang (2004), who indicates that socialization integrates the child into the family and community, teaching the disciplines, aspirations, social roles and skills necessary for group membership. For instance, from an early age, a Cameroonian child is taught that obedience as respect for older people and cooperation with peers are very important. The child then learns to control his/her temper and wait for what he/she wants. Gradually these disciplines are internalized (taken in to become part of him/her). The burden of learning discipline or specific behaviour patterns is made easier by the fact that aspirations as well as behaviour are socialized. Children see the prestige attached to parenthood and learn that this is a worthy aspiration; this encourages them to follow their parents’ example in order to achieve the same prestige.

Unfortunately such prestige has not been portrayed; rather negative aspects like in house quarrels, aggression towards partners, poor dressing and the continuous engagement of parents and siblings in outdoor festive jamborees in snack bars now exist as the norm. Because adolescence is a time for experimentation and search for an identity, they are left with no option than to follow suite, a situation that seems to affect negatively the way they develop morality.

In order to ensure that adolescents become full and acting citizens or leaders of the future, the society through the family is expected to play a crucial and fundamental role in imbuing skills, competencies, values, knowledge and ethics into the children. As they grow, it is required that they transfer this to the next generation so as to ensure continuity. However it has been observed in Cameroon that in the process of developing morality through the family with the view of becoming morally upright and competent individuals who will subsequently integrate into the society, adolescents tend to develop more of immorality. This is because adolescents in Cameroon like others elsewhere are undergoing many challenges which reflect Hall (1904) when he asserted that this period is full of storm and stress, combined with the fact that parents and siblings have failed to act like role models of positive development. As such, alcoholism, indecent dressing, rotten vocabulary, open disrespect of authorities and elders, smoking, theft, gambling, sex, school gangs, fights, violence, lies telling, dishonesty, non compliance and other vices are commonly practiced by adolescents. With the statuesque, the moral development of adolescents has been jeopardized.

Worried about the negative and contradictory behaviour and role model posed by the family and its occupants like parents and siblings in Cameroon which are contrary to the norms of positive moral development, and inhibit moral uprightness of adolescents particularly as a result of the families in which they grow up in, this study is geared towards finding out if there is a correlation between family behaviour and adolescents moral development in Cameroon with a view of proposing solutions.

Statement of the Problem

The survival and progress of any nation depends largely on the way of life of the individual members of the society. These members specifically the youths are supposed to be groomed as good citizens who will subsequently integrate into the society as morally upright citizens and future leaders. This requires proper moral formation at the base which is the home or family where the young ones grow. However, it has been noticed with great dismay that the family seems to be slowing down in its role of moulding children to grow up as good citizens. Thus, more people, especially the youth are found engaged in anti-social behaviours like dishonesty, disrespect of elders and authority, violence, indecency in dressing, greediness, brutality, sexual immorality, cultism, corruption, armed robbery, alcoholism, tribalism, drug abuse and addiction, examination malpractices, high rate of indiscipline among students, adoption of foreign unacceptable, immoral, criminal and violent cultures in the name of civilization such as gambling and body tattooing. These cumulatively yields a society that is inconsistent with African cultural values and customs and as such negatively affects the moral development process of adolescents thereby resulting into poor integration and interaction with the society at large. As observed, it seems that some parents, family members and even the adolescents’ are not carrying out their respectively responsibilities within the family thus the morality of some family members specifically the young ones like the adolescents could be at risk. Based on this, this study seeks to investigate if there is a correlation between family behaviour specifically monitoring, communication, engagement adolescents indecision making and collaboration in family responsibilities to the way adolescents in Cameroon develop morally  with a view of proposing solutions.

Objectives of the study

The main objective of this study was to investigate if there is a correlation between family behaviour and moral development in adolescents in Cameroon.

Specifically, this study seeks to;

1. Determine the extent to which monitoring determines moral development in adolescents in Cameroon.
2. Investigate the extent to which communication determines moral development in adolescents in Cameroon.
3. Find out the extent to which engagement of adolescents in decision making determines their moral development in Cameroon.
4. Ascertain the extent to which collaboration in family responsibilities determines moral development in adolescents in Cameroon.

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