| Abstract: |
Interpersonal communication cues, verbal and non-verbal, are
central to how mothers socialise their daughters, yet the extent to
which specific cue types statistically predict developmental
outcomes for the girl-child remains under-examined in the SouthSouth Nigerian context. This study surveyed senior secondary
school girls in Delta, Edo, and Bayelsa States to examine the
relationship between maternal interpersonal communication cues
and the girl-child's behavioural development, emotional well-being,
moral value transmission, and willingness to discuss sensitive
topics. Anchored on Symbolic Interactionism, Gender Schema
Theory, and Ecological Systems Theory, the study adopted the
quantitative-survey component of a broader design, drawing a
sample of 379 respondents using Taro Yamane's formula, of whom
373 questionnaires were retrieved and analysed (a 98.42% return
rate). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's
Chi-square test of association at the 0.05 level of significance.
Descriptively, most respondents reported frequent maternal verbal
communication (56.3% daily) and consistent non-verbal
engagement (40.2% always), with strong perceived influence on
obedience (83.4%) and respect (79.9%). However, none of the four
Chi-square tests reached statistical significance (all p > 0.05), and all
four null hypotheses were retained, indicating that, within this
sample, specific communication-cue categories did not statistically
predict the outcome variables even though they were descriptively
prominent. The study concludes that maternal interpersonal
communication is descriptively salient in the girl-child's upbringing
in South-South Nigeria, but that its statistical relationship with
specific developmental outcomes is more complex than a simple
bivariate association, implicating additional moderating factors
such as culture, peer influence, and schooling. Recommendations
for both maternal communication practice and future confirmatory
research are offered.
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