PARENT-CHILD ATTACHMENT AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AS PREDICTORS OF DISTRESS DISCLOSURE AMONG BULLIED IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS

Abstract

This study investigated the role of parent-child attachment and demographic variables in predicting distress disclosure among in-school adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria. A cross sectional research design was adopted for this study and questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample size of 1, 122 (583 male and 539 female) respondents. The setting was Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State was selected using purposive sampling while the secondary schools and respondents were selected through simple random sampling. Two scales were adopted in the study. The scales are the Adolescent parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and Distress Disclosure Index (DDI). Two hypotheses were developed and tested in the study. The results revealed that parent-child attachment had a significant influence on distress disclosure among in-school adolescents [R = .413; R² = .171; F (1, 1120) = 230.789; p< .01]. It was also shown that age and family type were significant joint predictors of distress disclosure [F (2, 1120) = 24.934, p <.01]. Collectively, age and family type accounted for about 4.3% variance in distress disclosure. However, only family type had independent influence on distress disclosure [β = -0.207, t = -7.061, p <.01]. The study concludes that parent-child attachment significantly predicted distress disclosure. It was also concluded that age and family type jointly predicted distress disclosure. It was therefore recommended that parents should give attention to their children (adolescents) so as to have a sense of belonging which will foster disclosure when the need arises. Parents should always ask their children of happenings in the school on daily basis, this will prompt them to disclose cases of bullying experienced in the school to their parents which will prompt the needed intervention.

Keywords: age, family type, attachment, distress disclosure, in-school, adolescents.