| dc.description.abstract | Globally, students' indulgence in behaviour problems has been a threat to the serenity, peacefulness, and tranquility enjoyed by members of families, schools and communities. Therefore, students' behavioural maladjustment has become one of the social issues which many developed and developing countries are currently trying to manage and bring under control. However, given the frequency at which learners involve in behaviour problems in primary schools in Kenya, and the crucial role played by parents, the present study sought to explore into perceived parental nurturing practices as predictors of behavioural adjustment among pupils in primary schools in Kisii central Sub-County, Kenya. Objectives for the study were to: determine the relationship between parental expressed warmth and behavioural adjustment among primary school pupils, establish the relationship between parental responsiveness and behavioural adjustment among primary school pupils, establish the relationship between parental degree of displayed acceptance and behavioural adjustment among primary school pupils and determine the relationship between parental control and behavioural adjustment among primary school pupils. The study adopted mixed method approach in which the embedded research design was used. To obtain the sample for the study, the study used cluster, stratified and purposive sampling techniques. The unit of analysis included 218 primary schools. The target population comprised 14876 pupils, 10582 parents, 229 deputy head teachers and 218 guidance and counseling teachers. The sample size for the study consisted of 374 pupils, 30 parents, 30 deputy head teachers and 30 guidance and counseling teachers. The study also employed questionnaires, interview schedules, focused group discussion and document analysis to gather data. The study adopted the triangulation approach to measure the validity of the instruments. The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was ascertained using the split-half reliability method (r=.808) and measure of internal constancy by Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. In analysing qualitative data, the study used thematic analysis while descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used to analyse quantitative data. The inferential statistics used included Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient, simple and multiple regression analysis. The study established that parental nurturing practices has a good prediction (R =. 732) of the overall learners' behavioural adjustment whereby 53.6% of the variance in the overall primary school pupils' behavioural adjustment was explained by parental nurturing practices (parental warmth, acceptance, responsiveness and control). There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation (r=.682) between parental expressed warmth and primary school pupils' behavioural adjustment while there was a moderate positive relationship between parental responsiveness (r=.595), acceptance (r=.552) and control (r=.494) and pupils' overall behavioural adjustment. From the study's findings, it was concluded that parental nurturance (warmth, acceptance, responsiveness and control) was a significant predictor of behavioural adjustment among primary school pupils. Hence, the study recommended that teachers should sensitize and expose parents to appropriate parental nurturing practises which enhance pupils' emotional and social competencies. | en_US |