GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

The study investigated self-concept as a correlate of academic performance among junior secondary school students in Abia State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The study population consisted of 8,919 Junior Secondary School II (JSS II) students in 212 public secondary schools in Abia State, while the sample comprised 892 students selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data for the study were collected using a researcher-developed instrument on a four-point Likert scale titled “Self-Concept and Academic Performance Questionnaire (SCAPQ)”. The response options were structured as: Very Great Extent (VGE), Great Extent (GE), Low Extent (LE), and Very Low Extent (VLE). The instrument was subjected to face and content validity by three experts in Education from the Faculty of Education, Abia State University, Uturu, and reliability was established using 30 JSS II students from a secondary school outside the study area, yielding reliability coefficients of 0.88 for self-esteem and 0.81 for self-awareness. Linear regression analysis was used to answer the research questions, while the t-test statistic associated with regression was employed to test the null hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance for acceptance or rejection. The findings of the study revealed that self-esteem has a high positive relationship with the academic performance of students, while self-awareness also has a high positive relationship with students’ academic performance. The study concluded that self-concept, particularly self-esteem and self-awareness, plays a significant role in enhancing students’ academic performance. The study recommended among others that schools should incorporate confidence-building activities into teaching and learning processes, and that teachers and guidance counsellors should help students develop better self-understanding to improve their academic outcomes.