The contact with Western culture has created social changes and social problems in several parts of Africa, including Nigeria. Two of these changes are urbanization and industrialization. Under the impact of these rapid social changes, people's values and living patterns have undergone extreme alteration in a very brief period. Formal education has replaced the traditional informal education. Formal education is the key to wealth and status, so many parents are anxious for their children to acquire it. They send their children to boarding schools and universities away from home. Common forms of abuse include the children inflating the price of books, claiming university entrance examination fees when they have no intention of attending the school, and making excessive demands for money when living away from home at boarding school. Some children (young adult age) will even kill or threaten to kill their parents if the parents refuse to pay for material goods desired as status symbols. Seven references are included. (Author abstract modified)