CHILD ABUSE AND SOCIO-EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOUR OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN IN PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This research focused and examines child abuse and school aged children’s socio-emotional behaviours in Port Harcourt in Rivers State. This work is a correlational research design which sampled 400 children using a multi-stage sampling method. The study administered structured questionnaires to assess physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and socio-emotional behaviours. The Pearson correlation technique was used to test and validate the three hypotheses. The findings show a moderate positive correlation between physical abuse and socio emotional behaviours. There was a strong positive correlation between emotional abuse and socio emotional behaviours. There was a positive correlation between neglect and socio-emotional behaviours. The study showed Port Harcourt school-age children go through abuse a lot in different forms which abuse is the greatest. Based on these findings, positive discipline by parents, enhancement of counselling in schools, and counselling in child-welfare resources, more supervision by child welfare and more active intervention.