Covid-19 Pandemic and Family Adjustment in Zaria Metropolis of Kaduna State, Nigeria

The COVID-19 spread around the world in the early months of 2020 led to many countries including Nigeria to initiate an emergency response envisioned to limit viral transmission, reduce economic impacts on vulnerable groups, and protect financial and corporate activity. The general objective of the study is to find out COVID-19 on family adjustment and to determine the influence of COVID-19 on families’ financial adjustment, health and safety in Zaria Metropolis of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 8 communities in Zaria metropolis of Kaduna state, Nigeria. A 16 item self-developed research instrument titled influence of COVID-19 on family adjustment questionnaire (ICOFA) was used for collection of data. Data was analyzed using independent sample t-test, the t-value was 14.474 and 15.319 and p-value was 0.000 at 0.05 levels of significance. Since the p-value was less than the level of significance set for study (0.05), the hypotheses were therefore, rejected. The Results revealed that there was a reduction in earnings (), households continue to face significant distress, visible in the form of skipping meals or medication due to lack of resources, households were forced to borrow from family and friends because of the pandemic (). In conclusion, there is cause for concern regarding the influence of COVID-19 on the well-being of the general population. The pandemic represents a global crisis not only of public health and economic stability but also of families. Based on the findings it is recommended that Government should put in place accessible health services for parents and their children who were exposed to psychological and mental stress because of the pandemic through counselling and trauma healing sessions. Home Economists should organize free skill acquisition training so that family members can be self-reliant in such difficult times.