THE LINK BETWEEN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' SELF-ESTEEM AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Self-esteem is a psychological phrase that refers to a person's total feeling of self-worth or personal importance. Self-esteem was once thought to be a personality attribute, implying that it is stable and long-lasting. It included a range of self-perceptions, such as how one perceives one's own looks, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors (Malbi, 2002). Many researchers have attempted to comprehend the idea of self-esteem, including its definition, measurement, stability, origins, and impact on numerous aspects of life, including schooling. Most secondary school students are between the ages of 12 and 20, and because this is a period of transition and stress, self-esteem is prone to fluctuate. Many teenagers struggle with their self-esteem and academic performance. Between the ages of seven and fifteen, self-esteem and academic performance appear to be most closely linked (Reasoner, 2000). Those who are confident in themselves achieve more, while those who are insecure achieve less. However, because correlation does not imply causation, this does not imply that strong self-esteem produces good academic performance. Other research have found that strong self-esteem is a byproduct of superior academic performance rather than the cause. According to Reasoner (2005), while academics generally agree that there is a strong association between self-esteem and academic success, there are significant differences in the nature of the relationship. Since a result of the literature review, the link between self-esteem and academic performance is still unclear, as research yield contradictory results. Gender was widely assumed to have an impact on the development, expression, and manifestation of self-esteem (Habibollah, 2009). According to several research, boys and girls have different primary sources of self-esteem, with girls affected more by relationships and guys influenced more by objective success. According to previous research, male adolescents exhibit stronger self-esteem than female adolescents, according to Campbell (2001). Male self-esteem seemed to be impacted more by objectives of independence and autonomy, whereas female self-esteem tended to be influenced more by goals of sensitivity and dependency (Alesi, 2006). Overall, it found that males develop self-esteem by succeeding, but females gain self-esteem by cooperating. According to Donnellan (2001), African American pupils in the United States had the highest self-esteem, followed by Whites, Hispanics, and Asians. Despite the fact that they all had a high average self-esteem ( Crocker, 2002). Markus has described why Asians had poor individual self-esteem. Because Asian culture is collectivist in nature and places a strong focus on the collective, exhibiting great self-esteem as an individual goes against traditional values. The history of self-esteem as a concept may be traced back to well-known psychologists. Among the earliest were William James and Mead (1890). They proposed that self-esteem was equal to a person's success divided by his or her aspirations. Academic performance divided by how well one feels he or she should be doing would be one's self-esteem. To enhance one's overall self-esteem, one must either increase successes or lower expectations for accomplishments. This continues to have an impact on people's perceptions of self-esteem (Wickline, 2003). Rogers (2009), a self-psychologist, was interested in the general nature of subjective experience and the individual's acceptance of that experience. According to Bednar (2007), each person's distinctive perception of reality is constructed through the creative self. Gordon Allport (2011) suggested that the development of self-awareness follows development learning lines. He recognized seven distinct dimensions of self-identity. The program's third development stage is self-esteem. It is a feeling of accomplishment that occurs when a youngster succeeds in mastering activities. Rosenberg did a research on teenage self-esteem in 2011 and came up with three self-esteem classifications: the existing self, the aspired self, and the presenting self. Rosenberg warns that no one understands the true self, but that each person constructs and interprets self-images. He distinguished between self-assurance and self-esteem. Self-esteem, in his opinion, is more of an emotive feeling of efficacy. As a result, while self-confidence can help with self-esteem, the two are not synonymous. Self-esteem has a major impact on pupils' academic performance, according to research conducted mostly in western and European cultures (Spinath, 2006). For learning results, students' evaluations of the match between their self-concept and academic objectives are critical. However, there hasn't been a lot of actual research done to see if these conclusions can be applied to civilizations other than Western, European, and Asian cultures. The minimal study relating the idea of self-esteem with academic performance on the African continent was particularly noteworthy (Ham, 2004). If, as Shavelson claims, a person's views of self are created by experiences with and interpretations of their environment, then study from a variety of cultures was required to get a firm and clear conclusion.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is often considered that having a high level of self-esteem is critical. Due to conflicting findings in the research, the link between self-esteem and academic performance was not yet obvious. The majority of research have shown a link between self-esteem and academic performance, while the direction of the link is unclear (Reasoner, 2005). According to Campbell (2001) and other studies, male adolescents exhibit better self-esteem than female adolescents. Boys and girls might have different levels of self-esteem, which can contribute to differences in academic performance. There was also significant empirical 4 data demonstrating variations in self-concept and academic performance by sex and age, necessitating research into gender differences. There was a scarcity of research on teenage self-esteem and academic performance, particularly in Kenya. The importance of studying teenagers' self-esteem levels was highlighted by the fact that this is a vital phase in development when self-esteem is moderately formed (Orth, 2011). This was in reference to the multiple psychological milestones that are encountered at this developmental period, such as job decision-making and personal identity formation. Students with poor self-esteem have a hard time dealing with challenges at school, whether they are academic or social. As a result, it was crucial to understand features of self-esteem that may influence treatments meant to boost self-esteem in critical developmental phases, such as young adulthood, in order to avert these psycho-social difficulties, particularly in relation to gender factors (Trzesniewski, 2010). Rudolph (2004) also discovered that such efforts may increase the psychological well-being of teenagers.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The primary goal of this research is to look at the link between self-esteem and academic performance among Nigerian secondary school students. The study's specific goals were to:

i. Determine the factors that influence low and high self-esteem among secondary school students.

ii. Determine if gender differences in self-esteem affect secondary school pupils.

iii. Investigate the link between self-esteem and academic performance among secondary school pupils.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following were the research questions the study aimed to answer:

i.     What are the factors that influence low and high self-esteem among secondary school students?

ii.     Does gender difference influence levels of self-esteem among secondary school students?

iii.     Is there any link between self-esteem and academic performance among secondary schools students?

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The evaluation of pupils' development was crucial since it served as the foundation for making educational judgments about them. It was for this reason that educators, parents, and students needed to be aware of the elements that impact academic performance outcomes in order to improve academic performance standards. The creation of training courses and enrichment programs that complement the cognitive part of information acquisition may be aided by a better understanding of how self-esteem impacts teenagers. The findings of this study might help the learner establish a good desire to succeed academically. Stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, policymakers, teachers, and parents would benefit from this information. Teachers and school personnel may learn to detect strategies to help all students develop healthy self-esteem. Students may spend the bulk of their schooling being as successful as possible by detecting and treating self-esteem issues at an early age. Furthermore, educators and counselors may better understand teenagers and learn how to support them by recognizing the link between self-esteem, academic performance, and gender. The research study might possibly add to the small body of knowledge about student self-esteem.

1.6   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The goal of this study on the relationship between self-esteem and academic performance in secondary school students in Nigeria was to cover at least five local government areas in Lagos state, but due to time and other unforeseen constraints, samples were only taken from the Ikeja local government area in Lagos state.

1.7   DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Due to time constraints and a lack of funds to undertake the study, the research was confined to a single local government region.

1.8   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Relationship: The way two or more people or objects are connected, or the condition of being connected .

Self-esteem is defined as self-confidence in one's own value or ability, as well as self-respect.

Academic Performance: the degree to which a student, instructor, or institution has met short- and long-term educational objectives.

Secondary school is a school that is halfway between elementary school and college.

Students: someone who is pursuing a degree in order to pursue a specific profession.

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