Dysfunctional Family, Social Support and Psychological Well-Being of Adolescents in Greater Accra

Abstract

The incidence of dysfunctional family is not only a social problem in individual countries, but has become a global issue which can deprive many adolescents the opportunity to be psychologically fit and also excel in all areas of life even to the national productivity and progress. The central theme of this study was to investigate the impact of dysfunctional families on the psychological wellbeing of the adolescent with the moderation effect of social support. The study used a cross-sectional survey design to investigate the dynamics of dysfunctional family and social support and how they both influence adolescents‘ psychological wellbeing. Two hundred and one students were sampled from junior and senior high schools to participate in the survey. The data collected were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, correlational and ANOVA to explore patterns of association among variables. The result of the study revealed that Adolescents‘ from a functional family scored high on psychological wellbeing and there was a negative relationship between parental conflict and adolescent psychological wellbeing. It is therefore recommended that system support fora such as discussion groups and in-service training can be used to provide education for stakeholders with the information and tools they need to assist adolescents with communication of their emotional, physical, and psychological needs as well as their academic goals.