A Comparative Study of Academic Performance Between Students of Divorced and Intact Parents
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57125/FED.2023.12.25.04Keywords:
parental divorce, parental separation, educational success, children, high schoolsAbstract
This study is part of a series of studies assessing the effects of divorce on children's mental health. In particular, it focuses on school health through the grades of pupils in a number of schools in the city of Kinshasa. The aim is to compare the school performance of children of separated parents with that of children whose parents live together. The aim of this comparison is to identify the nature of the effect of divorce on pupils' academic success. To achieve this objective, a survey (using a questionnaire to identify the children of separated parents and documentary techniques) was carried out among 241 pupils in the final year of secondary education at two schools in the city of Kinshasa (Groupe Scolaire du Mont-Amba and Collège Saint Barthelemy). The results of the study revealed that 47.7% of the subjects surveyed had experienced their parents' divorce. This divorce had considerably affected their academic success, as their school marks were significantly lower than those of subjects whose parents had not separated. This negative effect of divorce calls for specific measures at family and school level to enable children to regain their academic equilibrium by achieving good grades. This study has the particularity of having results from a representative sample compared with other studies carried out in the DRC. It also documented the impact of parental separation on school performance, using a comparative approach instead of opinion questionnaires. We suggest that parents put their children's interests first in all their vital decisions. They should also ensure the quality and nature of educational follow-up in the event of divorce. In view of our results, it would be desirable to extend the study to other provinces of the DRC, in order to get a general picture of the effects of divorce on pupils' academic success.
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