Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Single Parenting has emerged as a critical factor shaping youth deviant behaviour across organizations operating in and around Sokoto State. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how single parenting relates to youth deviant behaviour has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Sokoto State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While single parenting is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on youth deviant behaviour within Sokoto State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to single parenting are helping or hindering youth deviant behaviour — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Single Parenting on youth deviant behaviour in Sokoto State.
2. To assess the extent to which single parenting influences youth deviant behaviour within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with single parenting in relation to youth deviant behaviour.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing single parenting in order to improve youth deviant behaviour.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of single parenting on youth deviant behaviour in Sokoto State?
2. To what extent does single parenting influence youth deviant behaviour within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with single parenting in relation to youth deviant behaviour?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize single parenting in order to improve youth deviant behaviour?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of sociology, this study has practical value for management teams within Sokoto State seeking to understand how single parenting translates into measurable outcomes around youth deviant behaviour. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Sokoto State, focusing specifically on how single parenting relates to youth deviant behaviour within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.