Family Communication Patterns and Social Competence of Secondary School Students in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67487/10.67487/ijprss.v2i2.293Keywords:
family, communication, pattern, assertive, laissez-faire, social competenceAbstract
This study investigated family communication patterns and the social competence of secondary school students in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area. Specifically, the study examined the influence of assertive communication patterns and laissez-faire communication patterns on the social competence of students. Two research questions and two corresponding null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised 2,148 SS II students in 10 public secondary schools in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area during the 2025/2026 academic session. A sample size of 535 students, representing approximately 13.97 percent of the population, was selected using a multistage sampling procedure involving simple random sampling and proportionate sampling techniques. The instrument used for data collection was a researcher-made questionnaire titled Family Communication Patterns and Social Competence Questionnaire (FCPSCQ). The instrument was structured on a four-point rating scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while a dependent t-test analysis was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that assertive and laissez-faire communication patterns significantly influenced the social competence of secondary school students in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area. Based on the findings, it was concluded that family communication patterns play a significant role in shaping students’ social competence. It was therefore recommended, among others, that parents should adopt assertive communication approaches that promote emotional support, openness, and proper guidance within the family, while school counselors should organize parent education programs on the importance of positive family communication in enhancing students’ social development.
Keywords: , ,,,,
social
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