PARENTAL ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTATION AS PREDICTOR OF SELF-CONCEPT AND ACADEMIC SELF EFFICACY OF IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN ENUGU STATE NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

This study sought to determine whether parental achievement orientation predicts self-concept and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents in Enugu State. This desire was also motivated by the need to determine whether gender has any relationship   with   self-concept   and   academic   self-efficacy   of   in-school adolescents. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. The design  of  the  study  was  correlational  research  design.  A  total  of  1160  senior secondary school students proportionately drawn from public senior secondary schools  in  Enugu  State  were  used  for  the  study.  Three  instruments  namely:  – Parental  Achievement  Orientation  Scale  (PAOS),  Adolescents  Self-Concept Scale  (ASS),  and  Academic  Self-Efficacy  Scale  (ASES)  were  developed, validated and used for the study. The internal consistency reliability of the instruments were calculated using Cronbach Alpha procedure and reliability estimates of .81, .86 and .92 were gotten for the PAOS, ASS and ASES, respectively.  Data  obtained  through  the  administration  of  the  three      were

analyzed using Pearson’s r, R2  (coefficient of determination) to answer the four research questions while ANOVA and multiple regression were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significance which revealed the following findings: Parental achievement orientation significantly predicts academic self- concept of in-school adolescents. Achievement orientation of parents had 29 percent  contribution  in  predicting  the  in-school  adolescents’  self-concept;

parental achievement orientation significantly predicts academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents. Achievement orientation of parents had 45 percent contribution in predicting the in-school adolescents’ self-efficacy; gender significantly predicts self-concept of in-school adolescents. Gender of in-school adolescents had 11 percent contribution in predicting the in-school adolescents’ self-concept and gender does not significantly predict self-efficacy of in-school adolescents. Gender of in-school adolescents had zero percent contribution in predicting   the   in-school   adolescents’   self-efficacy.   A   major   educational implication of the findings was that the in-school adolescents could be educated on the  importance  of  parental  achievement  orientation  as  the  predictor  of  self- concept  and  academic  self-efficacy.  It  was  thus  recommended  that  emphasis should  be   given   to   educating  adolescents  on  the  importance  of  parental achievement orientation as the predictor of self-concept and academic self- efficacy and that the conflicting signals from the societal system that are causing confusion of interpretation for young persons  should be checked

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The child’s first and foremost developmental process happens within the content of the family. Family plays a major role in the development of a child, where the parents and the significant others in the family play a major role in nurturing the child. When a child is born, the child depends on parents or the caregiver especially the mother for food sustenance and  comfort. Thus, the place of parents in the complex task of child rearing cannot be under estimated. Whatever the child becomes in future, is tremendously dependent on the kind of upbringing, orientation and achievement the child was exposed to in all areas of life.

Achievement in all domains of life does not only excite an individual but also engenders in individual an aspiration for success and further accomplishments. Achievement is the level of performance attained by a learner in a particular task (Karma, 2009). For instance, if at the end of a term a student is able to pass all the subjects very well, the students has made an achievement. Achievement was defined by Ukah (2008) as the progressive realization of a predetermined and worthwhile goal. Ukah added that achievement is not an event but a ‘journey’ that is ongoing. It is a continuous struggle to achieve a set goal. It implies that achievement does not mean getting to the top anyhow,

rather it entails acquiring things in any upright way or manner. Parents’ attitude

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towards achievement affects the adolescents’ achievement in academic work. That is why some  adolescents try  to  reap  where  they did  not sow.  It is a problem, that is why in recent WAEC result analysis, 47.64% and 30.99% of credit pass in the year 2010 and 2011 respectively (WAEC 2010, 2011). In this study, achievement is conceived as the attainment of a set goal in a right way. Hence, one’s achievement orientation cannot be ignored in addressing one’s attainment in life.

Orientation is very important in the life of every adolescent. In other words, one’s constant effort to represent practically what one has learnt from the background training given to the adolescent can be understood as orientation. Orientation is an adjustment or adaptation to a new environment, situation, custom, or set of ideas (Houghton, 2009). Orientation is the process of familiarizing students with their new environment and introducing them to the workings of the school as a social system (Ejionueme, 2010). It involves a wide range of activities which help to acquaint the individual student with his environment. There are different dimensions of orientation such as mastery orientation and performance orientation. Orientation in this work connotes some body’s background training that helps the person to have interest towards struggling to achieve a set goal.

Achievement orientation is the standard that the individuals set that influences their actions, reactions, and motivation for learning or accomplishing a goal (Shim & Ryam, 2005). Achievement orientation involves the attitudes

and behaviors individuals put up in pursuing a set goal.  The question then includes what attitude could define the attainment of a standard an individual sets for oneself to conquer; how the individual goes about achieving life goals; the process of achieving the goals. Shim and Rynam stressed that, a secondary school student may aspire to be a medical doctor, reacts to that through hard work, reading extensively until one achieves one’s heart desire. The standard may be set by their parents and the children will take the action towards hard work, which lead to positive motivation. In other words, the method through which achievement goal will be attained should be carefully addressed because it may affect their academic achievement either positively or negatively.

There are positive and  negative achievement orientations.  Students of positive achievement oriented parents would always excel in their academic work which according to Elliot and Harackiewicz (1996) leads to mastery towards the achievement goal. This may eventually make their self-concept and academic self-efficacy high. But students from parents who are negative achievement oriented may always be dull in all their efforts which may lead to low self-concept and low academic self-efficacy.

For achievement to take its shape, parents need to play a vital role in the life activities of their children, especially the in-school adolescents. Parenting is the process of promoting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood (Wikipedia, 2013). Parental achievement orientation is the goals or level the parents have attained, which

may  be  academic  or  materials  (Shoo,  2010).  In   this  context,  parental achievement refers to tangible and intangible belongings of the parents. These may include acquired knowledge or material wealth which could represent parental orientation for the children. The tangible wealth of the parents is there to aid the children to attain the goal of their academic achievement; where as the intangible aspect which is knowledge serves as the basis of academic pursuit of the children.

It is observed that, in some countries like Europe, parental achievement orientation has been in practice. But personal observation by the researcher reveals that there is a paucity of research on parental achievement orientation here in Nigeria, specifically in Enugu state. Parental achievement orientation refers to the goals attained by individual parents due to socio-economic status or the  level  of  education  attained  in  the  society.  According  to  Haris  (2012), parental achievement orientation is predicted by factors like economic status, and level of education attained by parents. Haris stressed that the achievement orientation of parents influences to a greater extent the academic achievement of the  students in school.  Kimand  &  Rohner (2002) see  parental achievement orientation as the intellectual stimulation, being good models of constructive social and educational values, having high aspiration relating to personal fulfillment  and  good  citizenship.  It  implies  good  parenting  in  the  home, provision of a secure and stable environment. The extent and forms of parental orientation is closely related to family social class and level of education. For

instance, a student from a high socio-economic status family could attain easily any academic goal more than a student from a lower socio-economic status family who is based on the resources available. Such is also applicable to a student who comes from literate family and the one that comes from illiterate family. Parents expect that their children should indicate signs of achievement in their childhood.

Shoo  (2011)  indicated  that  parents  of  more  achievement  oriented children and parents of less achievement oriented children differ in different ways.  The  more-achievement  oriented  children  may  be  due  to  parental education  and  level  of  enlightment,  while  the  less-achievement  oriented children could be as a result of business oriented and less educated parents. Children from the achievement oriented parents can be described in terms of the work performance and such children experience feedback from the fruit of their labour. According to Jason (2010), a high achievement orientated parents are usually happy over the academic performance of their children in school. This is expressed of their readiness to provide all he necessary educative material required  by  their  adolescents  in  school.  To  the  researcher,  it  implies  that children  from  high achievement oriented  parents  will  always be  committed towards achieving a success no matter how long it takes them and as well develop their self-concept.

Self concept refers to an individual’s perception of self in relation to a number of characteristics, such as academic and non-academics, gender roles

and sexuality, racial identity and many others (Aries & Elizabeth, 1998). It means that a student’s self concept manifests in the way the student behaves, even in the school or elsewhere. Gering (2004) believes that self concept is an internal model which comprises self assessment.   That is, the student has an internal force that guides his or her behaviour. Self-concept can also be defined as the totality of a complex, organized and dynamic system of learned beliefs, attitudes and opinions that each person holds to be true about one’s personal existence (Marsh & Martin, 2011). Self-concept influences people’s behaviours, cognitive and emotional out comes including academic achievement, level of happiness, anxiety, social integration, self-esteem and life satisfaction. The implication is that what a person is could be a collective, personal opinion and beliefs; which are complex, organized and evolving.

In the view of Byrne (1996), self-concept is seen as an accumulation of knowledge about self, such as beliefs regarding personality traits; physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals and roles. In this study, self-concept is the knowledge and understanding a person has of oneself. If care is not taken to monitor the above characteristics, poor self concept and poor academic self efficacy may result among the students.

Self-efficacy is defined as the capacity of an individual to perform a given  work  with  ease.  According  to  Maris  (2010),  self-efficacy  is  the individual’s  ability  to  attain  the  desired  objectives  at  the  stipulated  period without much difficulty. This, Maris asserts, comes from the inner mind of the

individual to attain the predetermined goal following the recorded past achievement.  Self  efficacy  is  commonly  defined  as  the  belief  in  one’s capabilities to achieve a goal. Self efficacy refers to subjective judgment of one’s capabilities to organize and execute course of action to attain designated goal (Bandura, 1997). Bandura opined that what a person can do is good rather than being judged about one’s physical or personality attribute. Zimmerman (2001) is of the view that the level of self efficacy refers to its dependence on the difficulty level of a particular task. Students with strong self efficacy are more likely to challenge themselves with difficult tasks and be intrinsically motivated (Zimmerman, Bonner, & Kovaich, 1996). Schneider (2011) asserts that the self-efficacy of an individual predicts the level of performance in a given task. This implies that the difficulty or otherwise of taking a given task depends on the person’s perception of the task and readiness. Self efficacious students recover quickly from set backs, and ultimately are likely to achieve their personal goals, unlike students with low self efficacy, who believe they cannot be successful and thus are less likely to make a concerted, extended effort and may consider challenging tasks as threats that are to be avoided. Thus, students with low self efficacy have low aspirations which may result in poor academic achievement. Bandura (1997) noted that dimensions of self efficacy may be high, low or optimum. He further explained that self efficacious students participate more readily, work harder, persist longer, and have fewer adverse  emotional  reactions  when  they  encounter  difficulties  than  those

inefficacious  students  who  doubt  their  capabilities.  Optimum  level  of  self efficacy is a little above ability, which encourages the students to tackle challenging tasks and gain valuable experience.

Self  efficacy  belief  also  provides  students  with  sense  of  agency  to motivate  their  academic  achievement  through  the  use  of  self  regulatory processes as goal setting, self monitoring and self evaluation. For example there is evidence that the more capable students judge themselves to be, the more challenging the  goals they embrace  (Zimmerman,  2000).  In this study,  self efficacy is associated with the level of persistence in attainment of academic goal. This may lead to high academic self efficacy.

Academic  self  efficacy  refers  to  the  ability  of  students  to  perform academic task at the desired period of time. This capacity is determined by the academic facilities available to the students in school. Robson (2012) asserts that academic self-efficacy refers to the power of students to perform a given academic exercise at a given time. In this study, academic self efficacy refers to a student’s belief that he or she can successfully engage in and complete a course. That is, specific academic tasks, such as completing assignment, passing the course, and meeting the requirements to continue. Studies conducted by experts  to  measure  academic  self-efficacy  of  in-school  adolescents  have revealed  that  in-school  adolescents  have  a  lot  of  problems.  Though,  it  is observed that in spite of these appreciable impacts of self-efficacy in the overall

life and success of the individual child, especially the academic achievement of the child, this is not always the case with every in-school adolescent.

Adolescence according  to  world  Health  Organization  is the period  in human  growth  and  development  that  occurs  after  childhood  and  before adulthood, from ages 10 to 19. Larson & Wilson (2004) see adolescence as a transitional period between childhood and adulthood, whose cultural purpose is the preparation of child for adult roles.

Adolescents are mature children who possess the characteristics of early adulthood. According to Oladele (2004: 73) “researchers do not agree on specific age at which adolescence begins and terminates. Chronologically, frequently cited age span of adolescence is between 12 and the early 20’s. The onset of adolescence is peculiar to the individual and may vary from one culture to another depending on how freely the society permits young people to accumulate knowledge and experience, especially that which might be contrary to the attitudes, beliefs and values of the adults” .

Oladele (1998) reported that adolescent period has been taken as a critical period in human development when proper adjustment is required for healthy personality development. There are lots of physical changes that occur during adolescent  period.  Oladele  also  see  adolescents  by  many  names  such  as teenagers, secondary school children, and youths. Some of these children who were fast enough may have finished their secondary education, but some who were late may still be in secondary school. Adolescents are the children of the

secondary school age, teenagers and youths.  In this study, adolescent is the transitory period the individual inevitably passes through in ones growth from childhood to adulthood. The category of these children is known as in-school adolescents. There are in-school adolescents and out-of-school adolescents, but researcher focused on in-school adolescents. In-school adolescents are the adolescents who are presently in the school especially in secondary school. In- school adolescents comprise of those adolescents that are still in school system and are said to be mostly influenced by peer relationship in school (Parents homage, 2013).

In-school adolescents, as opined by Muhamad, Noordin and Abduliah (2006), are adolescents who are still in secondary schools. Jacobs (2012) explained that the transition from adolescents period to adulthood has a lot of challenges especially the in-school adolescents.  This Jacob  attributed  to the previous  nature  of  adolescents  life  which  has  a  greater  impact  on  the achievement level in academics in school. This is because the adolescents are in the state of confusion. Adolescents in secondary schools are no longer under the direct control of their parents but instead are taught by a number of teachers in different classrooms, often with different classmates. It is only the in-school adolescents whose parents are achievement oriented that can adapt to this academic condition. In this work, in-school adolescents connote the student within the age of adolescents who are still in secondary school. In discussing adolescents, gender is not a variable that could be left out. This is because even

as the students are in the classroom, some female students may find it difficult to  air their views and  this as  well may contribute to  low self-concept and academic self efficacy of such students.

Mogbo (2002) sees gender as socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considered appropriate for men and women. It is that attribute that an individual possesses or a role an individual plays that portrays the character of being a male or a female. The gender issue poses a lot of problems in some secondary schools. For instance, some female students shy away in some subjects, thinking that such particular subjects are meant for male. Such situation makes their morale low and can as well lead to low self concept and low academic self efficacy. Most researchers have investigated the influence of gender and found one of the reasons to be because of  differences  in  socialization  between  different  outcomes.  Cleanfield  and Nelson (2006) are of the view that through gender role socialization activities, the mother stays closer to the girls than the boys. Girls ask for help whereas boys explore their environment independently.

To  crown  it  all,  Bingham,  Raymond,  Shope,  Jean  and  Raghunathan (2006) observed that boys had greater number of offences than girls. Gender in this  study  connotes  social  attributes,  behaviours  and  activities that  a  given society  accepts  appropriate  for  men  and  women.  The  outcome  of  their behaviours also  shows that boys had lower parental monitoring and  greater parental permissiveness, less parental orientation. One will not talk of gender

without mentioning gender orientation. Gender orientation according to Cristan (2013) is one’s subjective experience of one’s own physical sex. He stressed that through culture, gender orientation is labeled. This in one way or the other may contribute to the low self-concept and academic self efficacy of the in- school adolescents.

Studies conducted by Cooley (2000) revealed that self-concept and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents are related to parents’ social class; yet the mechanism that forms this relationship is not well understood. It is widely recognized that if in-school adolescents are to maximize their potentials from schooling, they would need the initial developmental role of their parents. It is based on the above background that the researcher seeks to investigate the parental achievement orientation as predictor of self-concept and academic self- efficacy of in-school adolescents in Enugu State.

Statement of the Problem

Poor parental achievement orientation in recent times has contributed to adolescents’ poor academic achievement in secondary schools. It has also been observed that in-school adolescents in secondary schools especially in Enugu State  are  faced  with  a  lot  of  problems  which  include:  lack  of  parental monitoring and control, and poor academic achievement. Lack of parental monitoring  and  control of  adolescents development could  be as a  result of parents’ indisposition as regards their family obligations, indisposition could be

the nature of their job, more time devoted to their business and other things. Parents rarely have time these days to assess their adolescents’ academic activities to give  appropriate directions. These could  affect the self-concept development and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents. When an adolescent cannot speak boldly in the class or be convince of one’s academic capability, it results to poor performance in the school examination and eventually in external examination too.

These  problems  inspired  the  researcher  to  embark  on  this  study. Therefore, the problem of this study put in a question form is: how does parental achievement orientation predict self-concept and academic self-efficacy of in- school adolescents?

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to find out how parental achievement orientation predicts self-concept and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents in Enugu State.

Specifically, the study sought to:

1.  Ascertain the predictive power of parental achievement orientation on self concept of in-school adolescents.

2.  Determine the predictive power of parental achievement orientation on academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents.

3.  Determine the relationship between gender and self-concept of in-school adolescents.

4.  Determine the relationship between gender and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents.

Significance of the Study

The theoretical significance was hinged on Atkinson’s need achievement theory. Atkinson is of the view that when an individual is actually involved in a task, that individual sets a standard to conquer. The finding of this study therefore,  may  support  or debunk  the  Atkinson’s need  achievement theory. Practically, the findings of the study will be of significance to the ministry of Education/Education authority, teachers, parents, in-school adolescents and the general public.

Through  the  findings  of  the  study,  the  ministry  of  Education  and education   authority   will   be   acquainted   on   the   importance   of   parental achievement orientation as predictor of self-concept and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents. This will be obtained through attending workshops, conferences and seminar.

The findings of this study will also help the teachers to understand that in-school adolescents come from different homes with different parental achievement orientation  and  so, should handle  each adolescent  as a  unique

individual. This information will be disseminated through seminar, conference and workshops organized for teachers.

The parents will through the findings, of this study be acquainted with the importance of parental achievement orientation as a predictor of in-school adolescents’ self-concept and academic self efficacy. The information will be disseminated through Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meeting; media and invitation of individual parent(s) in case of emergency.

The findings of this study will also help the in-school adolescents to develop the spirit of hard work and the need to set goal in any setting, which can enhance their self-concept and academic self-efficacy.

The findings of the study will be of immense significance to the general public because it will expose to them the need and role of the parents to their in- school adolescents. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate the parental achievement orientation on self-concept and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents.

Scope of the Study

This study was focused on parental achievement orientation as predictor of self concept and academic self efficacy of in-school adolescents in Enugu state. The study was focused on secondary schools in Enugu State. The study specifically discussed: the predictive power of parental achievement orientation on  self-concept  of  in-school  adolescents;  the  predictive  power  of  parental

achievement orientation on academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents; relationship between gender and self-concept of in-school adolescents; relationship   between   gender   and   academic   self-efficacy   of   in-school adolescents.

Research Questions

To guide this study, the following research questions were posed:

1.  What is the predictive power between achievement orientation of parents and the self-concept of in-school adolescents?

2.  What is the predictive power between achievement orientation of parents and the in-school adolescents’ academic self-efficacy?

3.  What is the relationship between gender and self-concept of in-school adolescents?

4.   What is the relationship between gender and academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents?

Research Hypotheses

The Following null hypotheses were formulated and were tested at 0.05 levels of significance.

1.  Parental achievement orientation does not significantly predict academic self concept of in-school adolescents.

2.  Parental achievement orientation does not significantly predict academic self efficacy of in-school adolescents.

3.  Gender   does   not   significantly   predict   self-concept   of   in-school adolescents. 4.  Gender does not significantly predict academic self-efficacy of in-school adolescents.

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