Influence of Family Dysfunction and Emotional Intelligence on School Dropout Intention among Police Officers’ Children in Lagos State

The rate at which students are dropping out of schools in recent time is worrisome and it calls for serious interventions from educational stakeholders. Education is very expedient for the development of an individual as well as that of any society that aspires to be relevant in the 21st century. Education, at all levels, is associated with a set of positive factors for work life, social and personal wellbeing as well as the improvement of the economy of any nation. It can then be deduced that education is sine qua non to the development of an individual and that of any nation. Dropping out of school is not only detrimental to the individual but also increases the likelihood of unemployment, violence activities, kidnapping thuggery, armed robbery and other social vices. This study, therefore, investigated the influence of family dysfunction and emotional intelligence on school dropout intention among police officers’ children in Lagos state. This study employed a survey research design. The study made use of simple random sampling technique. Two hundred and twenty (220) respondents comprising 98 males and 122 females from two police secondary schools in Lagos state were used for the study. Three Standardised instruments were used in collection of data for the study. These are: School dropout intention scale (alpha = .84) family dysfunction scale (alpha = 0.85) and emotional intelligence scale a = .88). Data from the study were analyzed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression analysis (ANOVA). The result revealed that the two independent variables had significant relationship with dropout intention among police officers’ children. Family dysfunction (r = .902, p < .05), emotional intelligence (r = .383, p < .05. Also, the two factors jointly contributed 41.2% of the variance to dropout intention among the police officers’ children.(Adj. R2 = .412) In terms of magnitude of contribution, family dysfunction made the most significant contribution (Beta = .223, t = 2.429, p < 0.05) followed by emotional intelligence (Beta = .106, t = 2.115, p < 0.05) Based on these findings, the study concluded that dropout intentions of police officers’ children are determined by family dysfunction as well as emotional intelligence. Recommendations and suggestions were offered to various significant stakeholders.