Navigating Wellbeing and Coping: Quantitative Analysis of The Experiences of Teenager of Infidel Parents in Ibadan

Abstract

Infidelity has a pervasive impact on social systems, but none is more affected than the nuclear family. However, existing studies have not explicitly focused on the experience of teenagers in low and middle-income countries like Nigeria. Hence, this study explored the psychosocial wellbeing and coping mechanism of teenagers with infidel parents in Ibadan. The study used descriptive survey research; 200 teenagers were selected through purposive sampling technique in secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis. A validated questionnaire (parental Infidelity, and psychosocial Wellbeing Questionnaire) was used. Data was analyzed at 0.05 level of significance, using inferential statistics. The study indicated that parental infidelity negatively affects the psychosocial wellbeing of teenagers in Ibadan Metropolis (F (2/196) = 26.3 < 0.05); the multiple regression indicates that coping skills such as problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant coping affects wellbeing of teenagers who have experienced parental infidelity in Ibadan Metropolis (P< 0.05). In conclusion, children experiencing parental infidelity utilize problem-focused coping skills, while there was a negative wellbeing among teenage from infidel parents. Hence, social workers should help teenagers with infidel parents to cope while navigating live stressors through innovative social work skills.