Abstract:
The major purpose of this study was to investigate on strategies for improving the practices adopted by families in coping with selected family crises (of unemployment and death of head of the family)in Kaduna State. Specifically, the study identified the challenges arising from unemployment and death of heads of the family; determined the coping strategies which families could adopt; determined constraints that hinder the adoption of the coping strategies and ways families could improve their coping strategies. Survey research design was used. The questionnaire was used for data collection, which was validated by three lectures from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The study was guided by four research questions and four hypotheses which were tested at 0.05 level of significance. In order to establish the reliability of the instrument 30 questionnaire were distributed to 30 heads of families in Plateau state, Jos North. Cronbach Alpha reliability test was used to test the internal consistency of the instrument, reliability coefficients of 0.82, 0.97, 0.89, 0.87, for each section and an overall of 0.88 was obtained. Questionnaire, free responses (open ended questions) and focus group discussion were used to collect data for the study. One thousand three hundred and fifty sets of questionnaire were administered by hand to heads of families (male or females, who are bread winners).Only 1203 copies were completed, and retrieved. It was 89.1 percent retrieval. A total number of 3 Focus Group Discussions was conducted, one session in each Local Government Area. The data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for research questions, while t-test was used to test hypotheses and percentage was used for free responses. The findings revealed that; 60 challenges arises from unemployment of heads of family, 66 challenges in death of the heads of family, 38 and 40 coping practices which families could adopt in coping with challenges arising from unemployment and death of heads of families respectively,15 and 19 hindrances on adoption of coping strategies in unemployment and death of heads of families respectively,60 and 66 ways of improving coping strategies in challenges of unemployment and death of heads of families respectively. (i) There was no significant difference in the mean responses of male and female heads of families on the challenges arising from crises of unemployment and death of head of families. (ii)There was significant difference between the responses of family heads who resides in urban and rural areas on coping practices which families could adopt during crises of unemployment and death of heads of families.(iii) There was no significant difference in the mean responses of family heads of nuclear and polygamous families on constraint that could hinder the adoption of coping strategies by the families during unemployment of heads of family but there was significant difference in the constraints that could hinder the adoption of coping strategies during crisis of death of head of families .There was significant difference in the mean responses of literate and non-literate family heads on ways which heads of families could be helped to improve their coping strategies in dealing with challenges of unemployment and death of family heads. Based on these findings, some recommendations were made. These include Heads of family and members must: (1) Learn to plan budget, control spending and keep savings account, (2) Follow decision making processes step by step in crises situations, (3) Learn to plan towards having a personal house. (4) curriculum experts should introduce skills, knowledge and attitude needed for self employment and coping in crisis of death of heads of family (5) government and non-government organization concerned should organize training, seminars, workshops and short courses, and equip family on strategies for copings with crises of unemployment and death of heads of families both at federal, state and local government levels.
