Parent-Child Closeness and Study Attitudes and Methods of Children of Overseas Filipino Workers

Abstract

Parental support and guidance are essential to the education of children of OFWs. These students feel pressured to repay their parent’s sacrifices through their academics, and are overwhelmed with balancing their school assignments and household responsibilities. This study aimed to determine the levels of parent-child closeness and study attitudes and methods, and determine its relationship. It sought to compare the level of parent-child closeness, in terms of sex, birth order, and number of years abroad. A quantitative research approach, specifically a descriptive, comparative, correlational design, was used to examine the parent-child closeness and study attitudes and methods of 100 adult children of OFWs studying at university. Findings revealed that children of OFWs are moderately close to their mothers, and very close to their fathers. They have a high academic interest and study methods, and have low academic drive-conformity, study anxiety, manipulation, and alienation towards authority. Maternal and Paternal closeness to the adult child was not found to significantly differ, in terms of sex, birth order, or number of years abroad. Furthermore, maternal regard was found to be positively correlated with academic interest (r=0.43), academic drive-conformity (r=0.38), and study methods (r=0.27), while maternal responsibility was negatively correlated with academic interest (r=0.29). The study’s findings can be a basis for the development of programs and activities for children of OFWs, to assist them in balancing home and school responsibilities.