RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PEER PRESSURE, TIME MANAGEMENT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS
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RELATIONSHIPS
AMONG PEER PRESSURE, TIME MANAGEMENT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF IN-SCHOOL
ADOLESCENTS
Abstract
The study sought to investigate the
relationships among peer pressure, time management and academic performance of
in-school adolescents in Delta-State. In pursuance of the aforementioned
objectives, six research questions were posed and one hypothesis postulated.
Subjects for the study consisted of 600 in-school adolescents from the three
Senatorial Zones in Delta-State. They were composed using random sampling
technique. The instrument used for data collection used was a researcher made
Questionnaire titled ―Peer Pressure‖ and ―Time Management‖. The data were
analysed using mean scores and standard Deviation while the hypothesis was
tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test. The findings show that a
higher percentage of in-school adolescents experienced a moderate level of peer
pressure and time management. This is followed by a lower percentage of
in-school adolescents with love peer pressure as well as time management.
However, a significant number of in-school adolescents experienced a high level
of time management but not peer pressure. Male in-school adolescents have a
high mean ( X ) of peer pressure while female in-school adolescents have low
mean ( X ) of peer pressure and time management. Female in-school adolescents
performed slightly higher than the male in-school adolescents academically.
There is a slight negative relationship between peer pressure and time
management. There is a slight negative relationship between peer pressure and
academic performance. There is a slight positive relationship between time
management and academic performance. There are no significant relationships
among levels of peer pressure, time management and academic performance of
in-school adolescents. Based on the findings, implications were highlighted and
recommendations were made. The recommendations include that that there is a
negative relationship between peer pressure and time management of in- school
adolescents, and that trained counselors should be posted to all the secondary
schools so as to help counsel them on peer influence.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
of the Study
As children
grow and develop, profound physical changes occur. These changes usher them
into adolescence. Adolescence is the developmental period of transition between
childhood and adulthood which involves biological, cognitive, and
socio-emotional changes (Grabber; Brooks-Gunn & Peterson, 1996).
Adolescence is really a difficult period. This is in-line with what Pector,
(2004) called a challenging time in which physical, mental and social
developments occur quickly. In other words, one can say that adolescence is a
period when there is a fast tremendous change in physical, mental and social
development. It is a time of transition and includes important biological,
social, emotional and cognitive changes that take place quite rapidly over a
relatively short period (Smith, 1998).
Traditionally,
adolescence has been viewed as a critical period in development. Popular discussion,
plays, films, drama and books portray adolescence as a period of storm and
stress especially in a more technologically advanced society (Nwachukwu, 2002).
Generally speaking, the adolescents in Nigeria are classified as youths. This
is in line with Ibeh, (1990) who pointed out that the youths in Nigeria are
adolescents who are in the secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges of
Education and Universities. Many scholars among whom are (Uba, 1987; and
Adesomowo, 1988) agree that adolescence is a
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transition
period between childhood and adulthood. It refers to that period of the life
span of an individual when physiological and psychological processes are in
transition between puberty and maturity.
Behavioural
scientists like Erikson also tend to agree that adolescence is a period of
storm and stress (Nwachukwu, 2002). The physiological changes that take place
at puberty and the necessity to pass through development tasks imposed on
adolescents by society, like press for independence, vocational preparation,
development of basic philosophy of life and for sexual adjustment are some of
the problems which the adolescents face (Nwachukwu, 1993). It is also presumed
to be rather a critical period in psychological development, forcing basic
reorganizations in personality. Lewin, (1989) asserted that adolescents
experience a rapidly widening life space along geographic, social and future
time dimensions, and are caught in an ambiguous overlap between the roles of
the child and the adult. In a dynamic and heterogeneous culture, the broadening
of the life space introduces the youngster to many ambiguous or out-and-out
conflict situations, which he is ill-equipped to handle. In other words,
adolescents have psychosocial problems like acting –out behaviours such as
aggression, anger, arguing too loud and impudence, fighting, truancy,
depression, moodiness, disruptiveness, distractibility gangsterism and even
cultism. With these problems, they are unable to handle the situations and even
come out of them.
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In-school
adolescents are those students who are between childhood and adulthood stage of
life usually around the ages of 12 and 18 years and are within the school
setting. Speculations are rife that in-school adolescents with these
psychosocial problems may not concentrate on their learning which may influence
their results. Uncertainty of role, similarly creates ambiguities for the
adolescent who, for example, is at one time expected to behave as an adult and
at another is treated as a child.
To many specialists,
like (Lingren, 2001) adolescence is presumed to be a psychologically stressful
and critical period, characterized by a variety of special types of behaviour.
Among the most striking psychological developments of adolescence are those
involving relationships with peers. As children grow, develop, and move into
early adolescence, involvement with one‘s peers and the attraction of peer
identification increases. As they begin rapid physical, emotional and social
changes, they begin to question adult standards and the need for parental
guidance. They find it reassuring to turn for advice from peers who understand
and sympathize with friends who are in the same position as themselves. They
feel that by trying their new values and testing their ideas with their peers,
they have less fear of being ridiculed. (Lingren, 2001).
A peer can
be anyone you look up to or someone who you would think is an equal in age or
ability. A peer could be a friend, someone in the community or even someone on
television (Hardcastle, 2002). Adolescence is associated
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with peer
pressure. Peer pressure may play a key role in academic success. This may be
true because when an in-school adolescent experiences a negative peer pressure,
there may be the tendency of loosing the sense of knowing why he/she is in
school and when such happens, it will surely affect his/her academic
performance. According to Kirk, (2000), academics recognize that a child‘s peer
can have an impact on achievement, but the extent of that effect has been an
open question with no conclusive answer.
Peer
pressure means the influences that people of the same rank or age have on each
other. Again, peer pressure is emotional or mental force from people belonging
to the same social group (such as same age, grade or status) to act or behave
in a manner similar to themselves (www.nation/tcc.org/tcc/). Peer pressure has
a great influence on adolescent behaviour and reflects young people‘s desire to
fit in and be accepted by others. One can say that peer pressure is emotional
feeling from people of the same age, grade or status to do things in a manner
similar to themselves (www.rho.org/htm/glossary.html).
Peer
pressure comprises a set of group dynamics whereby a group in which one feels
comfortable may override personal habits, individual moral inhibitions or
idiosyncratic desires to impose a group norm of attitudes and/ or behaviours
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/peer pressure) . One may be right to say that peer
pressure is the emotional force people of the same social group receive through
imposing of the groups‘ norm of attitude or behaviours.
16
Peer
pressure may be a positive influence and help to challenge or motivate one to
do his/her best. When an in-school adolescent who performs poorly in his/her
academic activities joins peers who do group study and read very well comes out
with a good academic performance, such peer may have positive effect on his
members and such is a good peer pressure. Peer pressure may also result in one
doing things that may not fit with ones sense of what is right and wrong. In
other words, when peer pressure makes one do things that people frown at, we
call such a negative peer pressure. Peer pressure may influence one in various
ways like joining group who take alcohol and other drugs. It may also lead to
the decision to have a boyfriend/girlfriend, joining a group whose members are
crazy about what they wear and loitering about. There is evidence of peer
pressure among students in Delta State. As it is usually, in – school adolescents
could seen by passer by moving about in the streets, watching films and
attending parties during school hours. Among in-school peers, it has also been
observed that either for answering or asking questions, students are ridiculed
by others. When such happens, it inflicts depression into the adolescent and
such may influence his/her academic performance. Peer pressure may be present
in the work place, at school or within the society. It can affect people of all
ages and general community. It may affect people in different ways but here, we
are concerned with peer pressure as it influences academic performance of
in-school adolescents. In order to achieve peer cleavage, adolescents engage in
loitering and truancy
17
during
school hours and this does not help in school success. Furthermore, the urge to
do other bad acts like drinking alcohol and smoking cigarette are capable of
eliciting pressure in adolescents, which have impact on their school
achievement. There is on going debate that in-school adolescents with negative
peer pressure may perform poorly academically while those with positive peer
pressure may have enhance academic performance. However, the true position will
be elicited by this work.
According to
Lakein (2003) concerning adolescents is the issue of how they manage their
time. It is important to get to know yourself so that you can make good
decisions about what you want to do and how to use your time well to achieve
it. We all have 168hrs in a week to use as we wish; however, it appears that
some people make better use of this time than others. This implies that those
who manage their time well do so in order to achieve the set goal while there
is a tendency or possibility of those who can not manage their time not to
succeed in their set goal (Lakein, 2003). However, this research work will
provide an answer as to show the extent the ability to manage time or not is
dependent on peer pressure.
Time
management has to do with planning and scheduling activities, organizing tasks
in a prioritized order, and allocating time to the tasks according to their
order of importance and helping one achieve objectives (Achunine, 1995). Time
management is the ability to manage and control time
(www.organized-living.com/industryterms.htm/). The use of planners,
18
calendars,
and the like are effective tools in managing time. Implementing a routine is a
method of scheduling actions, which enforce regiments to fit with a person‘s
flow of work and production activities. Time management teaches a number of
techniques that maybe helpful in increasing the effectiveness of a person in
getting things done. Time management is some what of a misnomer as time passes
without regard to what we do; the only thing we can manage is ourselves. Hence,
time management is mostly about self-management. One may be right to say that
time management is the ability of an individual or group of individuals to make
proper use of their time in order to achieve set goals.
The concept
of time management is explained as behaviours that are believed to aid in
productivity and alleviate stress (Misra, 2000). Implementing time management
strategies helps to organize aspects of one‘s life, therefore allowing one‘s
time to complete all the tasks necessary to reduce one‘s stress level. In
completing the tasks in a scheduled and organized fashion, a student will also
enhance his academic performance and achievement. Time management behaviours
consist of starting large assignments well before their due dates, breaking
down large assignments into small ones, and completing small tasks on a regular
schedule. Other effective tactics include setting goals and priorities, the use
of lists and mechanics, an organized workplace, and the perceived control of
time (Misra, 2000). Going by Misra, an in-school adolescent who spends his/her
time on irrelevant things instead of concentrating on his/her studies may end
up having a poor academic performance or total
19
failure. The
picture of loitering about by students that one sees on television and roads
tends to give the indication that students in Delta -State do not manage their
time well. If this is the case, academic performance may be affected.
Academic
performance of a child could be defined as the learning outcomes of the child.
This includes the knowledge, skills and ideas acquired and trained through
their course of study within and outside the classroom situation (Epunam,
1999). According to West African Examination Council (WAEC) State Committee
Meeting (2008) on students‘ performance in the West African Senior Secondary
Certificate Examination (WASSCE) (2005-2007) in Nigeria, Delta State inclusive,
thirty percent (30%) of the candidates obtained grades 1-6 (credit and above)
in the same number of subjects (23 subjects) in 2005, 2006 and 2007. However,
the ranges of the performance were not the same. In 2005 the percentages of
performance were between 31.76% and 66.47%; in 2006, it was between 33% and 53%
while in 2007, it was between 30.91% and 63.09%. (See Appendix G). This
research work will establish the assertion that peer pressure and time
management influence performance is true or not. This is why there is the need
to investigate the relationships among peer pressure, time management and
academic performance of in-school adolescents in Delta State
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Statement of
the Problem
It has been
shown that there is a downward trend in academic performance of most secondary
students in Nigeria – Delta State inclusive (Atesenuwa, 2002). Both researchers
and authors have speculated on possible reasons for this poor performance. The
results appear to be implicating peer pressure and time management. Because of
the age of adolescents, they are likely to be under the control of their peers
who may talk them into such habits as drinking alcohol, cultism and other undisciplined
behaviour that are distracting from academic work. The implication of this is
that proper time management may be lacking especially in Delta-State.
However,
there are some authors and researchers who do not see adolescents as merely
being controlled by the negative influences. In other words, pressure from
adolescent peers can lead to effective time management and hence improved
academic performance. These are all speculations that need to be verified.
Bearing in mind that peer pressure is actually strong within that age bracket,
there is the need to investigate the relationship that exists among
adolescents‘ peer pressure, time management practices and their academic
performance. Hence, this study asks, how does academic performance of in-school
adolescents relate to their time management and the peer pressure they
experience?
21
Purpose of
the Study
Generally,
the study sought to investigate the relationships among peer pressure, time
management and academic performance of in-school adolescents in Delta State.
Specifically,
the study intends to:
(1)Find out
the levels of peer pressure and time management among in–school adolescents.
(2) Determine academic performance of
in-school adolescents.
(3) Determine incidence of peer pressure and
time management practices of male and female in school adolescents.
(4) Ascertain the relationship between peer
pressure and time management.
(5) Ascertain the relationship between peer
pressure and academic performance.
(6)Ascertain
the relationship between time management and academic performance.
Significance
of the Study
The study
will be of immense benefit to the following: - counsellors, the society, school
and researchers.
To the
counsellors – it is hoped that the result of the study will provide a basis for
counsellors to re-orientate in-school adolescents basic time management and
peer pressure resistance and therefore formally engrain discipline in school.
When this is done, there will be sanity, peace and order,
22
which will
enhance the moral tone of the school as well as the society. In addition,
professional counsellors who deal on behaviour modification will find this
study useful because it will create awareness in the areas of modifying
negative peer pressure.
Classroom
teachers will equally benefit from the finding of the study because the
findings will help them know what is expected of them in their role as
character moulders.
Socially,
when in-school adolescents are disciplined following the findings of this
study, the society automatically becomes discipline and academic performance
are enhanced. The findings of the study will directly lead to the raising of
our standard of education because experience has shown that disciplined
students learn faster and achieve better academically than undisciplined
students. In other words, the findings of this study will help the school
produce students who can contribute meaningfully towards the development of the
nation in the nearest future.
The findings
and suggestions of the study could add to the pool of available data in the
field which future researchers could fall on as a basis for further research.
Finally, the results of the work will be made known to public by organizing
conferences, workshops and seminars to inform them of the results. This will
help sensitize in-school adolescents by making them to be aware of the merits
of good peer groups and time management, which will help them to devote more
time to their studies for excellent academic performance.
23
In terms
of theory the
work will likely
further an understanding
in
application
of Bandura‘s learning theory in terms of usability to the adolescents
in the Nigerian
settings.
Scope of the
Study
This study
is delimited to in-school adolescents in Delta State. The study
is an
investigation of the relationships among peer pressure, time management
and academic
performance of in-school
adolescents. In-school adolescents
involved in
this study are both males and females in the senior secondary two
(SS2
students).
Academic
performance is delimited to the students‘ average score of core
subjects in
the second (2nd) term examination (See Appendix F).
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