An Investigation of the Role of Family Factors in High School Student's Emotional, Social, and Educational Adjustment

The present study was undertaken to examine the role of family factors in students’ emotional, social, and educational adjustment. The statistical population of the study comprised all high school students enrolled throughout the country. The sample, which consisted of 7528 individuals, was selected through random multi-stage cluster sampling method. The instrumentation included Sinha-Singh’s Adjustment Inventory (in three dimensions of emotional, social, and educational adjustment) and family structure questionnaire. For the purpose of data analysis, ANOVA, Scheffe’s test, and t-test for independent groups were used. Results of the study indicated that the magnitude of emotional, social, and educational adjustment was average or above average for 63 percent of high school students. However, the level of emotional adjustment was lower than average for 39.5 percent of students. In addition, the level of social adjustment was lower than average for 40.4 percent of students and the same holds true for 28.8 percent of students considering educational adjustment. In other words, a considerable percent of students encounter difficulty in terms of emotional, social, and educational adjustment. In addition, the level of emotional, social, and educational adjustment for high school students with a healthy family structure was significantly higher than those who came from broken families. The findings also showed that the magnitude of emotional, social, and educational adjustment for high school students coming from high-income families (a monthly income of 301,000 Tomans and above) was significantly higher than those who lived in financially distressed families (a monthly income of less than 300,000 Tomans). Furthermore, the results revealed that the level of emotional, social, and educational adjustment for high school students whose parents were clerks, teachers, businessmen, and specialists was significantly higher than those whose parents were workers or unemployed.