CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter is entitled “The Problem and its Background” which consists of the

Introduction, Conceptual Framework, Statement of the Problem, Significance of the

study, Scope and Delimitations, and the Definition of Terms

Introduction

In terms of this study, “A study about the academic stability and psychological behavior

of students with broken families”, it centers the issues and variety of personalities of

children within broken families. In definition, a broken family is a family that has split or

separated due to a variety of reasons. This leads to children being raised by single

parents, stepparents or others not related to the biological parents. Some variety of the

reasons that families split is teenage pregnancy, misunderstanding, physical abuse,

financial incapability, etc. Most children at their young age, believe in the traditional idea

of a family; consists of a mother, father, and their offspring.

When their parents separate, this most affects the child than the parents. In some cases,

children feel that they are to blame for their broken family, when in most cases, they have

nothing to do with it. That's where these feelings begin to come into play, and children

may feel depressed, upset, angry and insecure about their family, as well as about life in

general. However, a divorce between two parents is sometimes the best option for their

children. When parents are constantly battling, it is not healthy for a child to be a witness

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to it every day. Children who encounter parents who are always fighting may lose the

attention of their parents, and thus, face the same effects of having a broken family.

Conceptual Framework

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Statement of the Problem

A home is where a family lives. It may be alternated to the word ‘house’ but a house is

more appropriately referring to the material structure, whereas ‘home’ refers to the

intangible things that bind together the family members. It is the immeasurable love and

care that keeps together the mother, father and their children. Consequently, the major

problem of this study is to determine how students in broken families affects their

academic stability and psychological behavior.

1. What do children involved in broken families have in common? Besides the fact

they are involved in broken families?

2. How is having a broken family affect the academic stability and psychological

behavior of oneself?

3. Is there any significant difference between the academic stability and

psychological behavior of adolescents to children?

4. What are the major problems that cause separation between families?

Significance of the study

The aim of this study is to visualize the main causes of separation, the effect it has on our

respondents, how it affects their academic performance and psychological behavior that

may differ to those students with complete families, and also in some cases, the most

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comfortable arrangement that the father, mother, and the child/ children can adjust. In this

study, we can seek the point of view between the family members. This study could be

most helpful in the field of psychology in which we may determine whether students tend

to rebellious or obedient.

To students part of broken families

- To verify their common characteristics, to know how their academic performance

varies due to their background and to know how well or badly they adapt to their

environment( pertaining to their arrangements with their parents)

To parents

- With the help of this study, hopefully, they can manage to make better

relationships to those of their children who is growing apart from them. Also to

help them g up with better arrangements that all of them can adjust with, most

especially the child.

To teachers

- With the aid of this study, they may learn new ways to make a better environment

to those students involved in broken families being known as their second parents.

To psychologists

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 - They may benefit in our research through new innovative ways of better answers

on this problem. As because students held this research, it is more based on true

facts knowing that their respondents are their fellow students as well.

Scope and Delimitations

This study is bound to cover those of the issues of students with broken families, given

that a part of the population of the Siena community is dealing with the similar situation.

The study covers the effect on the child’s academic performance and psychological

behavior of students involved in broken families. It limits until the identification of the

major problems which causes separation.

Definition of Terms

Academic Stability- the quality, state, or degree of being stable with academics

Broken Family- is a family that has split or separated due to a variety of reasons. This

leads to children being raised by single parents, stepparents or others not related to the

biological parents.

Family- a group of people with a mother, a father and a child loving each other dearly.

Single parent- a parent or guardian who brings up a child or children alone, without a

partner.

Depression- condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal,
Sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason.

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Psychological Behavior- is a subdivision of behavioral neuroscience (biological
psychology) that studies the neural mechanisms of perception and behavior through
direct manipulation of the brains of nonhuman animal subjects in controlled experiments.

Rebellion- an act of violent or open resistance to an established government or ruler.

Divorce- the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body.

Annulment- is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it

is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from
the beginning almost as if it had never taken place (though some jurisdictions provide
that the marriage is only void from the date of the annulment.
Alimony- a husband's or wife's court-ordered provision for a spouse after separation or
divorce