Anyone who closely observes what is happening in secondary schools will definitely come to the conclusion that the standard of social behavior of our adolescent students has fallen. The social behavior of adolescent students is crucial because it affects their overall well-being. Positive social behaviors such as empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution can lead to the better well-being of the adolescent student; on the other hand, negative social behaviors such as bullying, aggression, and social withdrawal can lead to mental health problems, poor academic performance, and social isolation.

Adolescence is a transitory period between childhood and adulthood. During this period, an individual is seen neither as a child nor as an adult. Hall (1904) claimed that adolescents are characterized by emotional instability and hyperactivity. Which causes them to experience storms and stress. [1] Opines that identity formation creates tension in adolescents to the extent that some of them become confused about their personalities.

The period of adolescence is very important to the development of an individual. Any laxity on the part of the parents in assisting and guiding the adolescents may result in academic backwardness and the development of wholesome behaviors. The foundation of what a person becomes in society is laid in the home and at the initial stage of life. Parents therefore have important roles to play in seeing to it that the youths acquire the appropriate social, psychological, moral, and academic development.

In Nigeria, among the Igbos, parental roles are culturally determined; the maternal role is that of child care and homemaking, while the paternal role is that of economic responsibilities and discipline of children. Generally, it is the responsibility of the family to train and raise the child according to the norms and values of society. They are to be responsible for the psychological and emotional welfare of the child.

However, divorce and the separation of various kinds of deaths by one spouse may leave the roles in the hands of a single parent. Single parenting can be defined as a situation in which one of the two individuals involved in the conception of the child is responsible for the upbringing of the child. (whitting and child 1973; Eshleman 1981; and Henslin 1985). Single parenthood may arise when either the male or the female decides to produce and bring up a child or children outside of wedlock (Ortese 1998).

In Nigeria, the existence of single parents was formerly known, but where they existed, they were ignored as exceptional cases. However, nowadays, there are fast-growing family patterns both inside and outside Nigeria (Nwachukwu 1998). Although there are no available statistics on single-parent families in Nigeria, In Western countries, there is a growing increase in the percentage of adults and children living in single-parent households (Nwachukwu 1998).

A child from homes where the father and the mother are present will be well taken care of and socialized in the best way possible (Ortese 1998). This is due to the fact that the process of socialization depends on both parents playing complementary roles in bringing up a child. Such a child is likely to achieve self-actualization later in life. The problem of the deprivation of a second parent is bad enough, but when the remaining parent cannot cope with the resultant problems, a tragic situation arises. In such situations, the child becomes a misfit in society. The effects of single parenting on adolescent behavior have been a matter of concern for many researchers and policymakers. Studies have shown that adolescents from single-parent families exhibit more behavioral problems, such as substance abuse, delinquency, and lower academic performance, compared to their counterparts from two-parent households.

Parental guidance plays a vital role in the lives of children and has a strong influence on them, especially on two significant life events: marriage and their vocational choice. The importance of parental influence on their children's career choices is well established, even across gender and racial lines [2].

Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the social behavior of adolescent students in single-parent families in the Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. The research aims to shed light on the determinants of social behavior among adolescents in single-parent families and identify best practices that can support single parents in raising socially well-adjusted adolescents.

Over the years, there has been a steady increase in the number of single-parent households globally. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2020, up to 23% of children in the United States lived with a single mother, up from 12% in 1968. In Nigeria, the National Population Commission (NPC) reported in 2017 that 40% of children in the country were born out of wedlock. The high prevalence of single parenting has led to concerns about the effects on children's wellbeing, particularly adolescent children.

Adolescence is a period of significant developmental change, and it is crucial for adolescents to have positive social relationships with peers and adults to navigate this transition successfully. However, due to various challenges, such as the absence of a parent or financial constraints, adolescents in single-parent families might face difficulties in building positive social relationships, leading to negative social behaviors such as aggression, delinquency, and social withdrawal.

The problem this study seeks to address is the relationship between single parenting and adolescent social behavior in the Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. The study aims to identify the challenges facing single parenting in raising socially well-adjusted adolescents and recommend best practices that can support single parenting in this regard.

The study will answer the following questions.

1. How does single parenting affect adolescent's social behavior?
2. What are the social behavior of Adolescent students?
3. What are the effects of single parenting on adolescent social behaviors?
4. What are the best practices that can support single parent in raising socially well-adjusted adolescents?

Single parenting

According to Sara McLanahan and Gary Sandefur (1994), single-parenting families are those where children live with an unmarried mother or father or with married parents who are temporarily absent due to divorce, separation, or death." They emphasized the importance of the absent parent's involvement in determining the outcomes for children in single-parent households.

Murray Bowen (1960) explored family dynamics and interactions, known as family systems theory. Family systems theory is a theory of human behavior that defines the family unit as a complex social system in which members interact to influence each other's behavior. Family members interconnect, making it appropriate to view the system as a whole rather than as an individual element. This theory views the family as an interconnected system where changes in a member's role or behavior can affect the entire family dynamic. Single parenting can lead to shifts in roles and relationships within the family system.

Single parents may adopt different parenting styles based on their circumstances and personality traits. According to parenting style theory by [3], the theory emphasizes that a child's behavior is associated with parenting styles as they grow and interact with new people. Parenting styles have always been perceived to be a major factor in children's development. Diana's name and description of parenting styles include,

• Authoritarian: parents impose rules and expect obedience.
• Permissive: parents submit to the children's desires; they make few demands and use little punishment.
• Authoritative: parents are demanding and responsive.

These styles can influence children's behavior, development, and well-being, either positively or negatively.

Therefore, single parenting can have positive and negative effects on children's well-being. Single parents face unique challenges, such as financial constraints, parenting stress, and a lack of social support that can affect their ability to raise socially well-adjusted children. However, some single parents are capable of providing a nurturing and stable environment for their children, and their children thrive academically and socially.

Adolescent social behavior

Social behavior refers to how individuals interact with others in their social environment. According to David R. Shaffer (2008), social behavior in adolescents can be seen as "Interactions and activities that involve the individual's interaction with others, including peers, family members, and members of other social groups. Lawrence Steinberg (2014) describes social behavior in adolescents as actions, reactions, and interactions that occur in social contexts and involve communication, cooperation, conflict resolution, and the establishment of relationships". Adolescents start forming their social identity and developing their social skills during this period of development. Positive social behaviors, such as cooperation, empathy, and conflict resolution, can lead to better academic performance, improved mental health, and stronger social support networks. Negative social behaviors, such as aggression, bullying, and social withdrawal, can lead to poor academic performance, mental health problems, and social isolation. There is also a need for public education and special counseling sessions [4].

Effects of single parenting on Adolescent social behavior

Research has shown that single parenting can have negative effects on adolescent social behavior. Single-parent families may lack the support and resources necessary to raise socially well-adjusted children. For instance, single parents might experience parenting stress, which can lead to negative parenting that exacerbates negative adolescent behavior.

Some of the effects of single parenting on adolescent social behavior includes.

• Peer Relationship: Adolescents raised in single-parent households may have different experiences with forming peer relationships. They might seek peer support more intensively due to potential gaps in parental availability. According to Ferguson, Lynskey, and Horwood (1996), single-parent adolescents may exhibit higher levels of social engagement with peers.
• Behavioral Issues: Research indicates that adolescents from single-parent households may have an increased risk of certain behavioral issues, such as aggression, conduct problems, and externalizing behaviors [5]. However, these effects can be mediated by factors such as parenting quality, socio-economic status, and community support.
• Academic Performance: The impact of single parenting on academic performance can influence social interactions. Dornbusch et al. (1985) stated that adolescents who experience economic hardships or emotional stress due to single parenting may have difficulties concentrating on studies, which can indirectly affect their social involvement.
• Resilience and coping: Some adolescents raised by single parents develop strong coping skills and resilience due to the challenges they face. These skills can translate to positive social behaviors, such as effective communication and problem solving (Waller and Power 2016).
• Gender Differences: The effects of single parenting on social behaviors may differ based on gender; for example, some research suggests that girls from single-parent households may be more vulnerable to emotional and psychological problems, while boys might show more externalizing behavior [6].
• Parent-Child Relationships: Single parenting can lead to closer parent-child relationships in some cases. Kerr and Sattin (2000) suggest that adolescents might become more involved in decision-making and communication due to the absence of another parental figure. Single parents might lack the time and resources to be involved in their children's lives, leading to less monitoring and supervision, which in turn might increase the risk of negative social behavior among adolescents.

Furthermore, financial constraints in single-parent households can restrict access to resources such as extracurricular activities, mentorship programs, and counseling, which can support positive social behavior development.

Best practices that can support single parents in raising socially well-adjusted adolescents

Several interventions can support single parents in raising socially well-adjusted adolescents. These interventions can be grouped into:

1. Parental programs
2. Financial assistance
3. Academic support programs
4. Community support programs
5. Parental programs: Parental programs can help single parents enhance their parental skills and reduce parenting stress. This program can provide tips on effective communication, positive discipline, and monitoring, among others.
6. Financial assistance: Financial assistance can help single parents meet basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare, and it will also reduce financial stress that might exacerbate negative parenting practices.
7. Academic support: This program can help adolescents from single-parent families’ access resources such as tutoring, monitoring, and counseling that can enhance their academic performance and mental health.
8. Community support system program: This program can provide social support and promote positive social behavior among adolescents.

Hypothesis One

There is no significant difference between the social behavior of adolescents in single-parent homes and intact homes. The independent variable in this hypothesis is the social behavior of adolescents from single parenting, while the dependent variable is the intact home. The Pearson product moment correlation statistic technique was employed to test the hypothesis. The result is as presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis, of the relationship between Single parenting and Intact homes (N= 200).

*Significant at 0.5 level, Critical - r = .138, df = 198

The results obtained in Table 2 showed that the calculated R-value of 0.47 is greater than the critical R-value of 0.138 at the 0.5 level of significance with 198 degrees of freedom. The null hypothesis is rejected, while the alternative hypothesis is rejected. Hence, there is a significant relationship between the social behavior of adolescents from single-parent homes and intact homes in the Ukwa West Local Government Area.

Hypothesis Two

There is no significant difference between the determinants of social behavior among adolescents from single-parent homes and those from intact homes. The independent variable in this hypothesis is a single-parent home, while the dependent variable is adolescent social behavior. The Pearson product moment correlation statistical technique was employed to test the hypothesis. The result is presented in Table 2.

Table 2: Pearson production moment correlation coefficient analysis of the relationship between Single-parent home and Intact – parent home (N=200).

*Significant at 0.5 level, critical - r = 138, df = 198

The result in Table 3 indicates that the calculated r-value of 0.54 is higher than the critical r-value of.138 at the 0.5 level of significance with 198 degrees of freedom. With this result, the null hypothesis was rejected. This implies that single parenting significantly influences the social behavior of adolescents from single-parent homes and intact homes in then Ukwa West Local Government Area.

Hypothesis Three

There is no significant difference between the social behavior of male and female adolescents in single-parenting homes. The independent variable in this hypothesis is male and female in single-parent homes, while the dependent variable is adolescent behavior. The Pearson product moment correlation statistical technique was employed to test the hypothesis. The result is as presented in Table 3.

Table 3: Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis of the relationship between Male & Female in single parent homes and adolescent behavior (N= 200).

*Significant at 0.5, df = 198 critical - r = .138

The result presented in Table 4 showed that the calculated R-value of 0.56 is greater than the critical R-value of.138 at the 0.5 level of significance with 198 degrees of freedom. The null hypothesis is rejected. Hence, there is a significant relationship between males and females in single-parent homes and adolescent behavior in Ukwa West Local Government Area, Nigeria.

Hypothesis Four

There is no significant difference between the social behavior of male and female adolescents from intact homes. The independent variable in this hypothesis is an intact home, while the dependent variable is adolescent social behavior. The Pearson product moment correlation statistical technique was employed to test the hypothesis. The result is as presented in Table 4.

Table 4: Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis of the relationship between Male & Female in single parent homes and adolescent behavior (N= 200).

*Significant at 0.5, df = 198 critical r = .138

The result presented in Table 4 showed that the calculated R-value of 22.72 is greater than the critical R-value of.138 at the 0.5 level of significance with 198 degrees of freedom. The null hypothesis is rejected. Hence, there is a significant relationship between intact homes and adolescent behavior in Ukwa West Local Government Area, Nigeria.

The discussion of findings is presented hypothesis – by – hypothesis of the study.

The social behavior of adolescents from single-parent and intact homes

The null stated that there is no significant relationship between the social behavior of adolescents from single-parent homes and intact homes. From the analysis above, the result of this hypothesis showed that the calculated r-value and gather were higher than the critical r-value, which indicates that there is a significant relationship between the social behavior of adolescents from single-parent homes and intact homes. The findings of this study are in line with [6], who concluded that the effect of single parenting on social behavior may differ based on gender. For example, some research suggests that girls from single-parent households may be more vulnerable to emotional and psychological problems, while boys might show more externalizing behavior.

Single-parent homes and adolescent social behavior

There is no significant difference between the determinants of social behavior among adolescents from single-parent homes and those from intact homes. To support the findings of this study, Ferguson, Lynskey, and Horwood (1996) found that single-parent adolescents may exhibit a higher level of social engagement with peers. Adolescents raised in single-parent households may have different experiences with forming peer relationships. They might seek peer support more intensively due to potential gaps in parental availability. [5] Research indicates that adolescents from single-parent households may have an increased risk of certain behavior issues such as aggression, conduct problems, and externalizing behavior.

Male and female in single-parent homes and adolescent social behavior

The result of the hypothesis revealed that there is no significant difference between the social behavior of male and female adolescents in single-parenting homes.

The finding of this study is in agreement with David R. Shaffer's (2008) finding that social behavior in adolescents can be seen as "Interaction and activities that involve the individual’s interaction with others. Negative social behavior, such as aggression, bullying, and social withdrawal, can lead to poor academic performance, mental health problems, and social isolation".

Therefore, single parenting can have positive and negative effects on children's well-being. Single parents face unique challenges, such as financial constraints, parenting stress, and a lack of social support that can affect their ability to raise socially well-adjusted children. However, some single parents are capable of providing a nurturing and stable environment for their children, and their children thrive academically and socially.

Intact home and adolescent social behavior

There is no significant difference between the social behavior of male and female adolescents from intact homes. Albert Bandura's social learning theory [7] proposes that adolescents learn behavior by experiencing, observing, and interacting with individuals in their environment. Parents, in particular, serve as important socializing agents for adolescents, especially in their roles as disciplinarians. This theory focuses on how adolescents learn social behavior through observation, imitation, and reinforcement. They observe and model the behavior they see.

Murray Bowen (1960) explored family dynamics and interactions, known as family system theory. Family system theory is a theory of human behavior that defines the family unit as a complex social system in which members interact to influence each other's behavior. Family members interconnect, making it appropriate to view the system as a whole rather than as an individual. Furthermore, intact family and adolescent social behavior are terminated and are essentially for developing relationships with the social behavior of adolescents.

On the basis of the findings, the following conclusions were made:

1. Single-parenting significantly relates to adolescent social behavior.
2. The determinants of social behavior among adolescents from single-parent homes significantly relate to those from intact homes.
3. The social behavior of male and female adolescents from single parenting Homes significantly relate to adolescent social behavior.
4. The social behavior of males and females in an intact home significantly relates to adolescent social behavior.

Recommendation

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:

1. The government should provide a counseling center for counseling perspective service.
2. The government should provide seminars for single parents to educate them on the effects of single parenting on their mental health.
3. Government and non-government organizations should organize different sensitization programs for Nigerian citizens, especially single parents, on the dangers associated with adolescent social behavior.
4. Families should be sensitized to the importance of an intact family to enable them to solve the issues of divorce, which lead to single-parenting.

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