Madugu Doris Lami, Daniel Rosemary Onchi

Keywords: Children, identity formation, orphan-hood, self-concept

Abstract

The incidence of orphan-hood is increasing in Wukari Local Government
Area and this is impacting the process of identity formation and self-concept development in affected children. The Symbolic Interactionist Theory forms the theoretical lens through which analyses in this paper occurred. The theory emphasized the interplay between individual characteristics, meanings derived, and other societal factors involved in shaping self-image. Data for the paper emerged from the sample size of 346 respondents who responded to a structured questionnaire. Results showed that orphaned children in Wukari exhibit lower self-esteem, feelings of social isolation, and less optimistic future aspirations compared to their non-orphaned counterparts. The paper concludes that cultural practices surrounding orphan-hood, such as: caregiver relationships and societal stigma do influence the self-perceptions and coping mechanisms
of orphans in Wukari Local Government Area. The paper recommends that there is need for developing culturally informed programmes to address stigma associated with orphan-hood and implement mentorship initiatives
connecting orphaned children with positive role models in Wukari Local
Government Area.

Author Biography

Madugu Doris Lami & Daniel Rosemary Onchi

Department of Sociology, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

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