| dc.description.abstract | Low academic achievement in mixed day secondary schools in Bondo Sub-County is evident in the constant poor results from the schools. Family type is a contributing factor towards academic achievement, this correlation study was framed on the role and family system theoretical perspective. The main purpose of the Study was to establish the relationship between family type and academic achievement of secondary school students in mixed day secondary school in Bondo Sub-County. The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between child¬headed family and academic achievement; to establish the relationship between grandparents headed family and academic achievement; to find out the relationship between single parent family and academic achievement; and to establish the relationship between nuclear family and academic achievement. The target population of the study was 891, while the sampled population was 260 form four students in selected mixed day secondary schools in Bondo Sub¬County. Purposive sampling technique and stratified random sampling technique was used to select five schools. The split-half technique was used to determine the reliability of the instruments, and a coefficient of 0.871 was reported. Content validity of the instruments was done by presenting them to experts in the Department of Psychology and Educational Foundation. Family type Questionnaires, interview schedules and document analysis were used for data collection. The questionnaire had five point Likert scale in order to get the levels of agreement or disagreement on a series of statements. Quantitative data was analyzed using correlation and inferential statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation statistical technique, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used with the help SPSS version 22. To analyze qualitative data the researcher used thematic analysis. The study found that there was a strong significant (p=0.04 < 0.05) negative relationship between child headed family and students' achievement. Their academic achievements are hampered by lack of parental love, socialization and protection which results into low motivation towards academic pursuit. The analysis also indicated that there is a significant (p=0.025 < 0.05) positive relationship between grandparent headed family and students' academic achievement, it emerged from the study that despite majority of the participant agreeing that leaving in a grandparent headed family is challenging, the students also believed that it does not hinder them from performing well in their academic work. The analysis also revealed small but significant (p=0.024< 0.05) negative relationship between single parent family and students' achievement, from the analysis of the responses it was evident that living in single parent family is challenging and it has a relationship with their academic achievement. The analysis also indicated that there was a significant (p=0.03 < 0.05) positive relationship between nuclear family and students' achievement, the study further showed that students with both parents tend to be more balanced, motivated and focused. The study recommended that the principals should allow more contact between teacher counselor and students to enable them discuss issues that affect them at home. The Ministry of Education should employ professional counselor schools to offer counseling to the student | en_US |