CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

Background of the Study

“Home is the first school,

Parents are the first teachers.”

A simple line conveying a meaningful thought; those things learnt at home

help children to lead a good life later on. Children who are taught good lessons from

home show good behavior towards everyone.

Rowcliffe, J. (2012), posted in wordpress.com, “Home represents a place of

gathering, with stability, love and comfort that remains constant in this world of

uncertainty. It is the setting for an individual’s physical, mental, emotional and

spiritual growth. It must be tended, appreciated, nurtured, and respected in order to

thrive. It is the first classroom-not only in academic sense-but also, as miniature of the

larger world that a child will inhabit.”

According to Sherpa, D. (2009), home is where children can learn the essential

qualities that will lead them in different facets of their living. These teachings from

home will have a long term or a lifetime impact on them. Parvate, S. (2009) added,

“The child takes his first step towards life at home. He learns to walk, he learns to talk

and he learns to eat at home.”

Home is where children receive their first education, thus, guardians or parents

are considered as their first teachers. They have sole responsibility in the formation

of a child character which helps him develop a strong base not only for his further

formal education but also for the overall growth of his personality. They should

provide an environment where a child can cope up with situational learning.

1
 The brain of a child is likened to a blank sheet that what he sees is what he

understands and what he does. How things work, cause and effect, simple problem

solving, reading and math skills are all learned in the day to day tasks of living with

family. Teaching children to respect at home and all that it represents will fare better

in the larger community that dwells outside their four walls.

How guardians or parents communicate with their children and others, will

illustrate to them how they should behave. Manners, respect for others and property,

ethics, values, self-respect, the responsibilities of living in the community are life

lessons that children learn from them.

“Learning does not merely mean knowing alphabets and numbers. Ethical

values which are applied for lifetime must be taught in the beginning years of life. For

a child school in an introduction to a world outside family unit and parents must

prepare children for it.” (Sharma, H., 2009)

Each family’s interpretation of what makes a nurturing home will be

individual. However, if respect of space and honest engagement based on

unconditional love are at its core, the home can be a strong anchor. The relationship

of parents or guardians towards a child will directly influence his interpretation of

how to move forward in life. Whatever the makeup of the family might be, home is

the essence of what a child holds to be true.

This study was conducted to determine how family relationship influences the

behavior of the students of Banban National High School, Bangui, Ilocos Norte.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine and analyze the relationship between family

relationship and behavior of the students of Banban National High School, Bangui,

Ilocos Norte, during the Second Semester, School Year 2018-2019.

2
 Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:

1. What are the socio-demographic profile of the students in terms of:

a) gender and

b) grade level?

2. How family relationship affects the behavior of students?

3. Is there a significant difference between family relationship of the students

when they are grouped according to:

3.1 gender and

3.2 grade level?

4. Is there a significant difference between the behavior of the students when

they are grouped according to:

4.1 gender and

4.2 grade level?

5. Is there a significant relationship between the students’ family relationship and

behavior?

Significance of the Study

The importance of this study lies on the contribution that it will give to the

following people.

The parents will be benefited on this study to know what to do and what

alternatives can they help in the development of their child and parents will realize

how important they are as a source of encouragement in which children will need it.

This study will help the students to know more about the different influences

of family to their development and how it affects their behavior.

3
 The researchers are also benefited on this study to know more facts about the

influence of family relationship in the behavior of a child and help them realize and

what are the possible effects in their lives as they grow.

Scope and Delimitation

This study was limited to the influence of family relationship in the behavior

of the students of Banban National High School, Bangui, Ilocos Norte for the School

Year 2018-2019.

The focus of this study was to determine the profile of the respondents which

includes the gender, grade level and behavior of students towards of family

relationship.

The respondents of the study include four (4) grade levels: Grade 7, Grade 8,

Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10. The behavior was measured through survey.

The difference among the grade levels along gender was determined including

the influence of family relationship in the behavior of a child and students behavior

were established.

The socio-demographics profile of the students was the moderating variable.

The influence of family served as the independent variable. While the behavior of

students served as the dependent variable.

Definition of Terms

To ensure a clearer and better understanding of this study, the following terms

are defined based on their usage in this research

Behavior. The way in which person acts in response to a particular situation

or stimulus.

4
 Family. A group consisting of parents and children living together in a

household.

Gender.it refers to the sexual references of the students.

Grade Level.it refers to the class where the students belong.

Socio-demographic Profile. This refers to the students characteristics which

includes their gender and grade level.

5
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The review of related literature identifies how family relationship can affect a

child in various matters, specifically, behavior.

To begin this chapter, the researchers will briefly discuss the concept of family

and its function. Also, researchers will define and discuss the variables involved in the

study, namely, family relationship and child’s behavior. The researchers will also

examine other research studies and articles that show how these variables are related.

This chapter ends with the summary of literature review.

Family and Its Functions

Family is commonly defined as the basic unit of society. It is the community

in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God and make

good use of freedom.

Recent research about family defines its concept as a privileged environment

of personality formation and bounding, therefore, it has a fundamental role in the

development of toddlers and adolescents. The family is composed by small units,

being the smallest the individual. Family is a permeable system that is influenced by

the context that suffers some variations with the level of family organization. Each

family as a specific dynamism gives it a particular autonomy and individuality.

Therefore, parents influence their children and children also influence their parents’

behavior and educational practices.

Oscar Education posted online that it is within the family the child develops

his basic attitudes thus family plays several significant functions such as providing

protection and care for the young. No other institution can take required care of the

6
child like family. It is the family which provides care protection, security – both

physical and mental, and fulfills all other needs to make him fit in the society.

Also, family members teach the child the norms, values and morals, beliefs

and ideals of society. It is in the family where children first learn what is good and

what is bad, what is right and wrong. They develop specific habits, traits and

character, attitudes and values. Family is an instrument of culture transmission.

Lastly, family provides a home for comfort, protection and peace. It is an

institution for exchanging love, sympathy and affection among members.

Parents’ responsibilities towards their children, and toward society as a whole,

is to teach their children proper morals and inculcate what virtues they may, to teach

children how best to live in harmony with others, and how to live in full control of

themselves. (Guy, N., 2013)

Family Relationship

A child first learns about loving and caring relationships from family. A child,

who is nurtured, respected and grows up to care for others and develop strong and

healthy relationships.

The organization of a family has a direct effect on children. The first social

relationship of children is familial, where they acquire their first experiences of being

treated as persons in their own right. Children receive care for their dependency

attention for their sociability. The kinds of children receive during their early years of

life affect their handling of certain issues. This ability equips children for establishing

later ties with people outside the family. (Mahalikali, K., Family Influences on the

Development of a Child’s Behavior, URJHS, Volume 5)

According to the Family Pediatrics Report (2003), cited by Mahalikali, K,

“Parents have an enormous influence and responsibility in molding the hearts and
7
lives of their children. The father provides a basic model for masculinity and the

mother fosters actual household practice and family life. When the family

environment enables their needs to be met, children generally turn out well, both

socially and psychologically.”

Moreover, “Parents who develop better management skills can help the family

deal with stress and brings a sense of mastery and a feeling of being in control. Thus,

it will be easy to form strategies, solve problems and adjust to circumstances

including conflicts for a better children outcome.”

Furthermore, “When parents play a visible and nurturing role in their

children’s lives, the children have better emotional and social outcomes and are more

likely to have a stronger coping and adaptation skills, be better to equipped to solve

problems and have longer-lasting relationship with others within and outside home.”

On the other hand, “Parents who exhibit violent acts and abusive punishments

as disciplinary measures produce children who are at greater risk of emotional and

behavior problems, which include depression and poor school performance. Such

children tend to have more social difficulties and more problematic relationships to

others.”

In addition to this, “When family needs are not met, the fulfillment of those

needs may be seek in the community by illegitimate means. The children may exhibit

emotional problems in school, or a parent may be unable to control her emotions and

anxieties sufficiently to function adequately in society.”

Healthy family relationship is important for all areas of children’s

development. It helps all family members feel safe and connected to one another. This

means that there is a positive interaction between family members which outnumber

the difficult times. Also, it helps children learn about the world – whether the world is
8
safe and secured, whether they’re loved, who loves them, what happens when they cry

or make a face and much more.

Positive family relationship is being established through being in the moment

with the members which mean tuning in and thinking about what’s going on with him

or her and giving him the opportunity to take the lead sometimes. Another is by

spending quality time together pertaining to getting to know each other’s experiences,

thoughts, feeling and interests. It is the moment of showing that you value and

appreciate the each family member. And most importantly, to build positive

relationship is to create a caring environment of trust and respect. Communicating

with each other develops ways to value boundaries and build trust and respect.

(https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/connecting-communicating/bonding/parent-

child-relationships)

Children and Their Behavior

Nowadays, there is a huge worry concerning the development and behavior of

children. The behavior of a child is variable and depends on biological, social and

environmental factors. American Academy Pediatrics (2018) classified child behavior

– into three: a) behavior that are wanted and approved which refers to actions that

receives compliments freely and easily, b) behavior that is not sanctioned but is

tolerated under certain conditions such as regressive behavior or being excessively

self-centered; and c) behaviors that cannot and should not be tolerated or reinforced

which pertains to actions that are forbidden by law, ethics, religion or social mores.

It is a child’s job to explore his environment. The exploratory behaviors of

childhood are the principal ways that children learn. The normal behavioral

development of a child will also influence his or her environmental exposures.

Children are naturally curious and active.

9
 As children become adolescents, they gain more and more freedom from

parental authority. They learn by trying new things (eg, smoking). Although they are

at a stage of development at which physical strength and stamina are at a peak, they

are continuing to acquire abstract thinking. Therefore, they may not consider cause

and effect, particularly delayed effects. They may place themselves in situations with

greater risk as a result of this lack of perception. Although there are tremendous

benefits to the exploratory learning that occurs during childhood, it obviously has its

risks (Jogd, S. & Naik, J, 2004).

In learning to adjust to the world in which child is growing up, he develops

certain kinds of behavior which annoy or embarrass adults with whom he comes in

contact. These behaviors may be influence by the family relationship, depending on

how both parents will express and manage it, moving house, financial problems,

losing contact with old friends, less contact with the father who left home, and/or

other members of family and changes in the relationship with the parent who is living

(Woosley, Dennis, Robertson, & Goldstein, 2009).

In addition, according to de Figueiredo S. & Dias F. (2012), “School also

plays a very important role because that is where the child spends most of his/her

time. By the time children enter school, they develop some patterns of behaving

towards others and towards social situations. Children learn ways of relating

themselves to others, how to get what they want by wheedling or by doing it by

themselves, how to play with other children, or how to speak to adults. They acquire

concepts and feelings by which they pattern their behavior in social situations.”

A child is not a blank sheet of paper where you write what you want and then

erase it, he/she has, or is starting to build his/her own personality, defenses, and own

understanding of the world around him/her.

10
The Influence of Family Relationships in Child’s Behavior

Research indicates that the development of a child’s behavior is strongly

influenced by how well his or her family functions. It is within this aspect that

children are dependent upon adults to meet their needs that their concept of the

importance of family develops.

In the study of Jogd, S. and Naik, J. (2004) titled Study of Family Factors in

Association with Behavior Problems Amongst Children Of 6-18 Years Age Group

indicated that the behavior of a child has a great impact on his or her bodily and social

development. The family provides emotional support to an individual as well as plays

a major role in the formation of one's personality. The quality and nature of the

parental nurturance that the child receives will profoundly influence his future

development.

Moreover, parents are first guide and teacher in the life of children. They

fulfill their physical and emotional needs and also provide social and psychological

support to their child. The presence of parents increases the secured awareness in the

child which prevents them from being exposed to peer group pressure or influence of

the outer world.

Furthermore, parents need to be helped to understand that ‘it is not enough to

do things to their children; they must do things with them’. Family based

interventions which focus on improving communication within the family had some

impacts in the formation of behavior among children. Family therapy changes

dysfunctional family systems, clarify family roles and promote honest and open

communication among family members. Good quality day care can have positive

psychosocial benefits, particularly in case of children from poor or disordered homes.

11
 According to Brady, E. (1950), “Families influence the behavior of children

by what they teach, directly and indirectly, consciously and unconsciously. Same

through with what they fail to teach, events in the family and feelings and

interpretations of such events. It is from family children learn ways to express feelings

– how to show anger, friendliness and sadness. They learn from imitating a parent, or

from the punishment or approval give them. They learn a set of values – what is good

or bad, important and unimportant.”

The relationship between two family members is a developing one, with each

member of the relationship affecting the other member over the time. The reality of

family interactions can help the child to prepare himself/herself for the reality outside

the family. (Schemerhorn, A, et. al., 2008)

Theoretical Framework

This study was guided by the following theories.

Family systems theory, as indicated by Goldberg J. & Carlson, M. (2014),

states that the family is a complex, dynamic, and integrated whole, in which every

member influences and is influenced by all other members. The changing

relationships and characteristics of particular family members are believed to have

implications for the growth and development of other individuals within the family.

Social exchange theory highlights the relationships develop and change – and

interdependence grows – as a function of the social exchanges that occur between

partners. Supportiveness in the relationship between parents is thus an important

aspect of couple relationship quality that may have implications for children over

time.

Another theory is the social learning theory which suggests that children

model the behavior and interactions of significant others, in particular their parents.
12
Witnessing positive and low-stress interactions between parents may produce similar

behavioral styles in children.

Conceptual Framework

Behavior is bounded in an individual. Hence, the most important role of the

families is to transmit a social self. It is within the family that children have their first

relationship experiences; therefore, family has a very important role in their children’s

social development (Jackson & Leonetti, 2001 cited by Figueiredo & Dias, 2012).

According to Triandis cited by Kislenko, behavior is not determined by what

people would like to do but also what they think they should do, that is, social norms,

by what they have usually done, that is habits, and the expected consequences of

behavior.

The experiences within the family are unique and make the relationship with

parents and other family members critical to the child’s social development. Once, the

child is born, a process of individual development starts within the family through

learning habits, values, and language codes that make the child unique, different from

all others. Therefore, the family context plays a fundamental role in the personality

development of children and adolescents. (Thompson, 1998, as cited in Laible et al.,

2004)

The major concept of this study was focused on family relationships affecting

the behavior of the students of Banban National High School, School Year 2018-

2019.

Figure 1 showed the relationship of independent variable which contains the

family relationship while the moderating variable contains gender and grade level.

And dependent variable contains the behavior of the students.

13
 Family
Relationship
Socio-
demographic Child’s  Parent-child
Profile Behavior Relationship
 Parental
 Gender Practices and
 Grade Discipline
Level  Marital
Quality

Fig. 1 Research Paradigm

Hypothesis of the Study

This study tested the following hypotheses:

1. There is no significant difference between the mean personal behavior of the

students when they are grouped according to:

1.1 gender; and

1.2 grade level.

2. There is no significant difference between the mean family relationship of the

students when they are grouped according to:

2.1 gender; and

2.2 grade level.

3. There is no significant relationship between the students’ family relationship and

behavior.

14
 CHAPTER lll

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents a discussion of the research design, population of the

study and sampling procedure, research instrument, data gathering procedure and

statistical treatment of data.

Research Design

This study determined the Influence of family relationship of behavior of a

child of Junior students of Banban National High School. The descriptive-

correlational method was used in this study.

The descriptive-correlational was to describe the influence of family

relationship and to determine the relationship of the family and the behavior of a

child. The comparison of the level of behavior along their grade level was also

investigated.

In descriptive method, Bagayana cited by Balbalosa (2010), wrote the study

focuses on the present condition. The purpose is to find new truth, which may come in

different forms such as increased quantity of knowledge, a new generalization or

increased insights into factors, which are operating, the discovery of a new causal

relationship, a more accurate formulation of the problem to be solved and many

others.

In addition, Gabriel (2012) quoted Peter, descriptive research usually involves

that the data collected are described by parameters like their central tendency ant their

15
dispersion. Once there is more than one variable to describe one can go a step further

in the research process and calculate the relationship between them.

Since the number of respondents in this study was not large, the descriptive-

correlation method of students best suited. The influence of family relationship

behavior of a child was generated using questionnaire.

Population and Sampling Procedure

The population of this study was the Junior High School students of Banban

National High School Year 2018-2019.

Of the total number of students, 100 were taken as respondents: 25

respondents for Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9 and Grade 10. Thus with grade level as the

key.

Research Instrument

The main tool used in this study was rating scale on set of Personal Behavior

and Family Relationship. The rating scale consisted of the students’ Personal

Behavior were taken from the result of our questionnaire.

Table 1 on the rating scale obtained the students‘ level of Personal Behavior

of the respondents was presented into 10 statements. Each statement was describes

your feeling in every item.

Table 2 on the rating scale obtained the students’ level of Family Relationship

categorized into three: (a) Parent-child Relationship presented five (5) statements,

(b) Parental Practices and Discipline presented five (5) statements, (c) Marital

Quality presented five (5) statements. The questionnaire adapted by the researchers
16
focused in knowing the influence of family relationship of the behavior of Junior

High School Students. This were given on one set of five(5) ratings each.

Data Gathering Procedure

On the data collection process, the researchers sought the approval of the

Research Teacher and retrieve the questionnaire from the respondents.

Also, researchers secured a letter of request asking permission from the

students to allow them gather data regarding the influence of family relationship of

the behavior of the child. The rating scale adapted by the researchers was checked by

the research teacher to maintain conformity on the subject of research. Checklist was

presented to, analyzed and checked by the research adviser to ensure the validity of

responses it would elicit.

Data gathered from answered questionnaires were checked, classified

tabulated and analyzed. To facilitate the data processing Microsoft Excel were used.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The following statistical tools were used to analyze the data gathered in this

study.

The mean was utilized to describe the influence of family relationship of the

behavior of the child of the respondents, and to measure the behavior of the students.

17
18