Socio-Demographic and Cultural Determinants as Correlates of Acceptability and Practice of Child Adoption among Married People in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated socio-demographic and cultural determinants as correlates of acceptability and practice of child adoption among married people in Imo State. Six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted correlation research design. The population of the study was all 753 married people that adopted children in Imo State and the sample size was 450. Instrument for data collection was a researcher constructed questionnaire titled ‘’Socio-Demographic, Cultural determinants, Acceptability and Practice of Child Adoption Questionnaire (SDCAPQ).’’ The instrument was face validated by three experts in Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The instrument was trial tested on 30 adoptee parents from Abia State and Cronbach alpha reliability statistic was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. An overall reliability Co-efficient value of 0.85 was obtained. Research Questions 1 to 4 were answered using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient while Multiple Regression was used for Research Question 5 and 6, Multiple Regression analysis were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. It was concluded among others that 34 percent of acceptability of child adoption among married people is predicted by the combined influence of socio-demographic and cultural determinants. The major findings of the study indicated that there is a positive relationship between cultural determinants and acceptability of child adoption among married people. It also shows that 50 percent of practice of child adoption among married people is predicted by the combined influence of socio-demographic and cultural determinants. Socio-demographic determinants are predictors of practice of child adoption, and that Socio-demographic and cultural determinant are significant predictors of acceptability of child adoption. The implication of this study is that cultural determinants affect the practice of child adoption which may negatively influence the work performance of married people and also the academic grade of adopted children. Based on the findings and implications of this study, the researcher recommended among others, that the government in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development should announce regularly through radio, television and newspapers the increasing rate of divorce, emotional trauma and death due to socio-demographic and cultural determinants hindering childless couples from adopting children. This could encourage them to accept and practice child adoption. They should also sponsor counsellors in conducting seminars and workshops for married people on benefits of child adoption in order to ensure that happiness exists in marriages in Imo State. The limitations of the study were discussed and suggestions were made for further research.