Influence of Parental Favouritism on Child's Development - A Chronology of Ikot Idaha Community in Ibiono Ibom LGA, Akwa Ibom State

Aug 22, 2026

Uploaded by Gloria

Parental favouritism is an unspoken family practice that can disturb parent-child relationships and negatively affect children’s well-being and growth. This study investigates how parental favouritism influences child development in Ikot Idaha community, Ibiono Ibom LGA, Akwa Ibom State. An in-person survey approach with direct respondent interaction was used to obtain accurate insights, supported by descriptive statistics and judgemental sampling. Findings indicate unequal treatment across families, producing sibling hostility and other harmful outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Parental favouritism in family settings

Destructive effects on emotional and physical development

Prevalence of Parental Favouritism in Ikot Idaha community of Ibiono Ibom LGA

Legal context: Akwa Ibom State Child Rights Law (2008)

Underreporting and reasons for silence

INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL FAVOURITISM ON CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT: A CHRONOLOGY OF IKOT IDAHA COMMUNITY IN IBIONO IBOM LGA, AKWA IBOM STATE EDIDIONG KINGSLEY UDOH (Ph.D) Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria [dydyudoh@gmail.com](dydyudoh@gmail.com) +2348060075611 Abstract Parental favouritism is an unspoken aspect of family vigorous actions that can jolt parents’ children relationships or the well-being of children negatively. This study orients to elucidate the influence of parental favouritism on child's development. To achieve this objective, In-person survey method was employed, involving direct interactions with the respondents to enable accuracy and profound insights. The study amalgamated a synthesis of apropos information related to the subject team using search process that involved filtering through primary and secondary sources. Descriptive statistical procedures were used to illustrate the categories of respondents. Judgmental sampling was also exploited based on the nature of the study. This paper divulged that majority of parents treat their offsprings dissimilarly without ensuring them with the same prerogatives, endearment and succor. Favouritsm often times leads to avoidable enmity among siblings and many other untoward outcomes. Therefore, this paper advocates that public awareness is the primal. There should be a strong and effective awareness sensitization campaign about parents’ inappropriate behaviours to lessen the practice of favouritism in various families. Moreover, favouritism can be resolved through fairness and equity, admissible communication and adherence pattern of treating all children indistinguishably. Keywords: Influence, Parental favouritism, Child Development, Chronology, Ikot Idaha Community. INTRODUCTION Parental favouritism simply entails brandishing preferential treatment towards one child over others. This treatment often display in heterogeneity forms, such as privileges or equal care attention. The signs of favouritsm append giving special attention to a best-loved child, parents exempting their best-loved child from participating in household chores, the bestloved child needs been met when demanded sometimes that may erupt anger from other siblings and the best-loved child always having his or her choicest kind of food with the biggest portion of meat anytime meal is served. In Nigeria, the manifestations of parental favouritism in majority of homes are eye saw actions. The criterion that is generally common is the "ONLY SON OR DAUGHTER CASE", the "ONLY GIRL OR BOY CHILD" in the family, being a "BIOLOGICAL CHILD", being the "MOST BRILLIANT CHILD among others and etc. These sets of children are best-loved children and most preferred in various families while the unfavoured kids are sometimes been treated unjustly to serve them. Same way favouritism is destructive to the emotional development of children and their physical growth; it's universally problematic and surprisingly common among families. Parent's attitudes toward parenting are a product of their knowledge of parenting and the expectations they have for their children's development, which in turn are informed by cultural, social, and societal images, as well as parents' experiences and their overall values and goals (Iruka et al., 2015). Favouritism is not just a oddity of family life but also harmful to engaged on. Children who feel they are treated as second-best, its corollary can be profound because children easily rectify preferential treatment and by observing parents displaying more warmth to a best-loved child than others can be noxious to their well-being. Therefore, this study seeks to deepen the understanding about the influence of parental favouritism on child development. Prevalence of Parental Favouritism in Ikot Idaha community of Ibiono Ibom LGA Parental favouritsm in this community in all its forms are daily reality for many ch

FAQs

What does parental favouritism mean in this study?

Parental favouritism refers to preferential treatment given to one child over others, such as unequal privileges, care attention, or exemptions from household responsibilities.

How was the influence of parental favouritism on child development investigated?

The study used an in-person survey method with direct interactions with respondents, along with descriptive statistical procedures and judgemental sampling.

What does the study indicate about the effects of favouritism in Ikot Idaha community?

Favouritism is reported as common and can lead to avoidable enmity among siblings and other adverse outcomes, while many unfavoured children experience unjust treatment.

Aug 22, 2026

Uploaded by Gloria