The Influence of Child Abuse on Academic Achievement in Mathematics Among Secondary School Students in Ohaji/egbema, Nigeria

ABSTRACTThe main purpose of the study was to examine the influence of child abuse on academic achievement in mathematics among secondary school students in Ohaji Egbema local government area of Imo state. To achieve these three research questions were posed to guide the study, three hypotheses were formulated to direct the study. Available literatures were reviewed according to the variable under review; Ex-post facto research design was adopted for this study and a sample of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents were randomly selected from eight sample schools. Child abuse and Academic Achievement Questionnaire was developed by the researcher, sampled in schools and scored. To test the hypotheses and ascertain whether to reject or retain the hypotheses, Simple linear regression statistical tool was adopted and all the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analysis revealed that students’ emotional, physical and sexual abuse does not significantly predict pupils’ achievement in mathematics. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended among others that Parents must assume their responsibilities as parents and not abandon their children to their fate as such making them vulnerable to all sort of abuses.