ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to investigate the influence of
parental achievement orientation on achievement motivation and school
adjustment of in-school adolescents. Five research questions and two null
hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted ex-post-facto research
design. The population for the study was 10,077 SS2 students and a multi-stage
sampling technique was used to select 420 students for the study. The
instruments for data collection were questionnaire titled: parental achievement
orientation questionnaire (PAOQ) and students’ achievement motivation and
school adjustment questionnaire (SAMSAQ). The data generated from trial testing
were analyzed using Cronbach Alpha statistics an overall reliability index of
0.802 was obtained. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer
research questions while paired sample t-test was used to test the hypotheses
at 0.05 probability level. The findings of the study revealed that, achievement
orientation of in-school adolescents’ parents is significant as perceived by
the students. The findings also showed that, parental achievement orientation
has significant influence on achievement motivation and school adjustment of
in-school adolescents. Based on the findings the researcher recommended that
parents should develop positive parental achievement orientation that will make
their children to have high achievement motivation and good school adjustment.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
School is a formal organization established by the government or the
community or an individual to carry out the business of teaching and learning
in the society. School is one of the major stepping stones for academic,
socio-economic, cultural and political development in Nigeria.And it has been
described as one of the most influential socialization domains in an
adolescent’s life (Catalano, Haggerty, Oesterle, Fleming and Hawkins, 2004).
School alsoprovides adolescents with the forum for interaction with peers from
different socio-economic backgrounds and teachers of different standing and
exposure. And provides arena for personality development, social adjustment and
it help adolescents to realize their potential.
Adolescence is a period of rapid exploration, a particular period between
puberty to adulthood. Meyer in Santrock (2005) defines adolescence period as a
time of growing up, of moving from the immaturity of childhood into the
maturity of adulthood. Okafor in Landies (2000) defines adolescence period as a
period when the individual is in process of transfer from independent,
irresponsible age of childhood to the self-reliant, responsible age of adulthood.
Okafor in Landies (2000) added that, this period is used to describe youths
within the age limit of 12 to 19 years. As a result of developmental changes
that take place during this period, an adolescent becomes physically, socially
and intellectually mature. Physiological and psychological changes, which
accompany sexual maturity, come so quickly that individual is unsure of
himself, his capacities and interest. Iwuama (1997) opine that,
adolescents often feel insecure in articulating their obvious need as a result
of on-going changes on their body. Iwuama (1997) added the features associated
with adolescents which includes body contour and stature taking an adult shape,
physical and sexual maturation as shown by changes in both the primary and secondary
sex characteristics, they are often concerned about what people think or say
about them, experience a lot of storm and stress as a result of increased
emotion tension resulting from physical, emotional and psychological
development. During this period, adolescents are given ambiguous
treatment by their parents or caregiver, at a particular stage the adolescents
are seen to be too young, at another stage they are expected to take up
responsibilities (Iwuama, 1997). If adolescents are given proper guidance
services and education at this period they may become very useful and fulfilled
citizens but if neglected they may constitute greater problems to themselves,
their parents, teachers, school authorities and the society at large (Iwuama,
1997). Some parents and caregiver may give their adolescents’ children proper
orientation, like changes that occur at adolescence period, teach them sex
education at home before they enroll in secondary school, give them proper
guidance and counseling and also teach them moral education while some parents
and caregiver may fail to give their adolescents’ children such orientations. A
child that was opportune to acquire the above mentioned orientations from their
parents at home may become a successful adolescent in school.
In-school adolescents are those adolescents who are still in secondary school.
According to Onyejiaku (1991), they are referred to as “School Stayers”. Some
of the in-school adolescents see school as the most significant institution in
their lives because school helps adolescents to realize their potentials but
when they do not perform well in school, it may lead to unrealized potentials
which could result to low achievement motivation and poor school adjustment.
Some of the in-school adolescents may see school as a challenging because some
of them may not have the ability to carry out school tasks while some of them
may be interested to continuing academic pursuit to higher institution.
Operationally, in-school adolescents are young children
who are studying in secondary school. Some of in-school adolescents may
find it difficult to cope and deal with the challenges that exist in school
environment which could result poor school adjustment.
Adjustment can be defined as the reaction of an individual to
external or internal demands and pressures which social environment imposes on
him. Mangle (2006) defines adjustment as an outcome of the individual’s
attempts to deal with stress and meet his needs and effort to maintain
harmonious relationship with his environment. A change in an environment
requires a change in the organism in that particular environment for it to
thrive well. Arkoff in Mangal(2007) opine that, how one copes in a
particular environment depends on one’s personal characteristics and the
circumstance of the situation. Arkoff in Mangal (2007) added that, both
personal and environmental factors therefore, work together in
adjustment. This implies one cannot do without each other. For an
individual to be well adjusted in the environment there should be interaction
between an individual and the environment.
A person is well adjusted if he or she copes well in the
environment.Adjustment is a state in which the needs of the individual on one
hand, and claim of the environment on the other hand are fully satisfied. If
otherwise, there will be maladjustment among or within the individuals in the
environment. There are three areas where an individual need to be adjusted to
live a balance life. These areas include: family, school and society (Margett,
2002).
Operationally, adjustment can be defined as the individual’s way
of dealing with changing situation. This is because people do not exist in a
vacuum. They live in social environment, knowing that change is the only
constant thing in the life situation and circumstance. A person who is
well adjusted at home may also have good school adjustment.
School adjustment has to do with ability of the students’
to cope effectively with internal or external demands and pressures which
school environment imposes on them such as attending lessons, doing assignments,
being attentive in subject, not cheating in examination, making a good grade
and not dropping out of school, Mangal (2006). According to Coleman (2005),
school adjustment is a degree to which adolescents become comfortable and
successful in school environment. Secondary school students, either at home or
in the school, struggle to cope in environment they find themselves, Onyejiaku
(1999).
School adjustment could be good and poor. Good school adjustment
has to do with ability of the students to cope well in the school while poor
school adjustment also has to with inability of the students to cope well in
the school. Adolescents’ adjustment to school required assistance from
parents and family members since child’s development and adjustment start from
home, (Onyejiaku, 1999). Recently in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State the
researcher has observed through the help of teachers and school counselors that
secondary school students have poor school adjustment and some of these
students indulge in examination malpractice, bullying,truancy, school drop-out,
fighting, secret cult, and other school violence and offences.
School adjustment could be academic, emotional,
psychological and social. Academic, well adjusted students will overcome
learning problems and instructional difficulties, and they make a satisfactory
progress in exploratory experiences. Emotionally, well adjusted students have
control their emotion; have a stable emotion and will not exhibit action like
anxiety, fighting and aggression. They have internalized control over their
emotion. Psychologically, well adjusted students have good self concept about
themselves and others. They know how to cope or deal with disappointment and
loss; can also influence their environment positively in order to achieve their
goal. Socially, well adjusted students do not exhibit withdrawal behavior and
other anti-social behavior (Onyejiaku, 1999).
Operationally, school adjustment can be seen as ability of
a student to cope and deal with the challenges that exist in school
environment. For a student to be well adjusted in school they need to be
motivated firstly at home by their parents, siblings or caregivers and this may
enable them to study hard and achieve success. A student who has good school
adjustment may also have high achievement.
Achievement is task-oriented behavior that allows the
individual’s performance to be evaluated according to some internally or
externally imposed criterion, which involves the individual in
competing with others, or that otherwise, involves some standard of excellence.
Ukah, (2008) defines achievement as a progressive realization of a
predetermined worthwhile goal. Ukah (2008) added that, it is a “Journey” that
is “on Going” but is not an event rather is a positive result of steady forward
movement. Harackiewicz and Sansone (2000) opined that, students’
achievement increases their motivation to achieve more success in whatever
activities they are doing.
Motivation is generally defined as internal and external conditions that
stimulates, directs and maintains behavior. According to Deci and Ryan (2000),
motivation is greatly appreciated because of the positive and negative outcome
it produces. Motivation also explains, for example, why some students
swot to pass examinations, while some students wait for manners from heaven,
and why an individual perseveres and deprives himself of some pleasures in
order to achieve a life goal, (Ngwoke, 2010). Bernstein and Maier (2005) were
of the view that, motivation shapes a person’s behavior based on their own self
view and can influence their choice and responses from outside cues.
Motivation could be Intrinsic or Extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation can
be defined as a driven force from within an individual which cannot be control
byexternal factor. Bulter (1997) defines intrinsic motivation as striving to
engage in activity because of self satisfaction. Students’ that demonstrate
intrinsic motivation, engage in academic tasks due to the enjoyment or
satisfaction they derive from such task. Extrinsic motivation on the other
hand, comes as a result of wanting to earn grade or reward, avoid punishment,
and please the parents, teacher and family members. Children who are
extrinsically motivated perform in order to obtain some reward or avoid some
punishment, (Mark, 1998).
In addition, in school both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation may be found to
be unavoidable thus the need is to find out the different ways in
which students could be motivated so they may have the motive to learn in
school. AStudent who demonstrates intrinsic motivation may also have high
achievement motivation in whatever activity he is doing.
Achievement motivation can be seen as desire of an individual to
perform well and strive for excellence and fear of failure. Gesinde (2000)
defined achievement motivation as self-determination to succeed in whatever
activities one engaged in, it may be academic work or other activities.
It is in the view of McClelland (1961) that, those who strive for excellence
and success without consideration for the material reward have high achievement
motivation. McClelland (1961) opines that, high achievement
motivated people seem to be more concerned with personal achievement than with
the reward of success. They want to know how well they are doing. McClelland
added that, high achievement motivated people have common characteristics which
includes they have the capacity to set high personal but obtainable goals; have
the desire for job-relevant feedback (how well am I doing) rather than for
attitudinal feedback (how well do you like me?) and constantly seeks for
improvement.
Students’ achievement motivation has three patterns which
include: mastery goals, performance goals and performance –avoidance
goals. Mastery goals: This has to do with ability of the students to have
a complete knowledge about the desired result. Students with mastery goals
sustain effort; have high self-efficacy, willingness to accept challenges, and
high achievement. Performance-approach goals: This has to do with ability
of the students to complete an action that is challenging. Students with
performance-approach goals can sustain effort and have high self-efficacy. They
can increase achievement and detract from willingness to accept challenging
tasks, which decreases achievement. Performance-avoidance goals: This also has
to do with ability of the students to keep away from goals which were
challenging. Students with performance- avoidance goals are detracts from
motivation and achievement, particularly for learners that lack confidence.
Ngwoke (2010) opines that, students’ achievement motivation could be high or
low. It may be high if a student is motivated to achieve success in any
challenging tasks; it may also be low if a student is not motivated to achieve
success in any challenging tasks.
Students with high achievement motivation exhibit certain
characteristics which make them look unique from students with low achievement
motivation, (Byme in Sheffer, 2005). Students with high achievement motivation
may have good school adjustment. Students with high achievement motivation want
to expect success in whatever they are doing but eventually if they fail, they
will redouble their effort until they succeed ( Gesinde ,2002). Students
with low achievement motivation tend to dodge classes or may show lack of
interest in school work. Some students are highly motivated to succeed and
excel while others are not motivated to succeed and may not be positively
disposed to work hard to achieve success, (Santrock, 2005). Being achievement
motivated keeps students dynamic and it makes people to have self respect for
them (Santrock, 2005 & Adedeji, 2007). It has been in recognition of Mau
and Biko (2000) that, students’ perception of achievement motivation for
learning tend to have strong impact in their life. Researcher has observed
that, some secondary school students in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State have
low achievement motivation and these students dodge classes while some of them
lack interest in school work, and this is attributed to negative parental
achievement orientation.From counseling report conducted by Nwamou in Orlu
Education Zone in 2008, it was discovered that some of the secondary school
students in the Zone have low achievement motivation.
Operationally, achievement motivation can be defined as tendency to endeavor
for success or failure activities. Parents that do not motivate
their children in school may have their children come out with low achievement
motivation and school adjustment problems. This is so becauseparents play
positive and negative impact in children’s developmental and learning
processes. Recognition of the roles parents play is reflected on
educational policies and current legislature including No Child Left Behind,
2102 (4) (2001) and the reauthorize of Title 1. These policies mandated that
schools should implement procedure that actively involves parents in
educational process (Fishel & Remiirezi, 2005). The influential roles played
by parents ginger their children to have high achievement motivation and good
school adjustment because children from different backgrounds have different
orientations which they carry into school or social environment, (Akaneme and
Ngwoke, 2010).
Achievement orientation can be seen as attitudes and behaviors
of the individual toward achievement. Witt (1999) opine that, achievement
orientation is a concern of working well or surpassing a standard of
excellence. Achievement orientation is what motivates an individual to
work hard in order to achieve success or failure.
Operationally, achievement orientation is the value or worth one
places on success or failure or positive or negative outcome of one’s effort to
succeed in life. This value or worth an individual places on success or failure
may be negative or positive. This means the value or worth parents places on
success or failure is parental achievement orientation.
Parental achievement orientation can be defined as
attitudes and behaviours of the parents toward achievement. According to
Johnson (2009), parental achievement orientation is the desire of parents to
improve on their self awareness and performance of life goal. Johnson
(2009) added that, parental achievement orientation have two dimensions which
include positive parental achievement orientation and negative parental
achievement orientation. Parents with positive achievement orientation have
improved on self awareness and performance of life goal while parents with
negative achievement orientation have not yet improved on self awareness and
performance of life goal.It is expected that student’s desire to excel in
school and achieve success is when parental achievement orientation will be
enhanced. Students consider going to school more seriously when there is
positive parental achievement orientation.
Parental achievement orientation has four patterns which
include: Mastery goals, performance-approach goals, performance- avoidance
goals and work-avoidance goals. Mastery goals: This type of orientation focuses
on accomplishing a task, improving, and increasing understanding. Parents with
mastery goal orientation will like to accomplish any task which they are
pursuing. (Wolters, 2003) opines that, parents with mastery goal orientation
will persist in the face of challenges and difficulty, attribute success to
effort, use effective strategies such as self-question and maintain their
interest and effort even after formal instruction is finished.
Performance-approach goals: This type of orientation emphasizes on looking
competent and receiving favourable judgment from others. (Midgley, 2001)opines
that, parents with performance-approach goal orientation tends to be confident
and have high self-efficacy, but may exert only minimal effort or use superficial
strategies, such as memorization, to reach them. When goals become challenging,
they may engage in self-behaviours, such as not trying when they are not sure
they can meet the goals, even cheat , (Midgley, Kaplan and Middleton, 2001 and
Brophy, 2010). Performance-avoidance goals: This type of orientation emphasizes
on attempts to avoid looking incompetent and being judged unfavourable, and
this is the most detrimental for motivation and achievement. Ryan (2007) opine
that, parents with performance-avoidance goals orientation attempt to avoid
looking incompetent and tend to have negative achievement orientation while
those parents who are looking competent tend to have positive achievement
orientation. Work-avoidance goals: This type of orientation has to do
with inability of an individual to face challenging tasks. Parents with
work-avoidance goal orientation feel successful when tasks are easy or can be
completed with little effort (Dowson and Mchnerney, 2001). Dowson and Mchnerny
(2001) added that, parents with work-avoidance goal orientation tend to
use ineffective learning strategies, make minimal contribution to group
activities, ask for help even when they do not need it, and complain about
challenging activities.
Parental achievement orientation has both positive and
negative influence on students. If parental achievement orientation is
positively carried out it may result to high achievement motivation and good
school adjustment but if it is negatively carried out it may result to low achievement
motivation and poor school adjustment. Amato and Fowler (2002) opine
that, parents with positive achievement orientation express happiness at time
of accomplishment, they set high standards for their children, and they think
how well they have done something and look for new and better ways to improve
their skills and performance.
Parents with negative achievement orientation may be
preoccupied with their business, work and other things outside home than their
children education that is why some of the parents may not to be familiar with
positive parental achievement orientation. Some of these parents exhibit
non-challant attitude towards the needs of children in school and at home as
well. And this condition may lead to Children that have such parents to fill
helpless and confused because they consider going to school more seriously when
there is positive parental achievement orientation. Parents with positive
achievement orientation may not have good parents-child relationship; they may
not show love, care and warmth to their children. Such children may have
low achievement motivation and poor school adjustment. Positive parental
achievement orientation could breed high achievement motivation and good school
adjustment whereas negative parental achievement orientation may also breed low
achievement motivation and poor school adjustment.Smetana (2002) also opines
that, parents with positive achievement orientation set high standard for their
children and they take time to monitor their children’s academic achievement.
Statement of the Problem
The trend of low achievement motivation and poor school
adjustment among secondary school students in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State
seems to be increased. It may be that their parents do not have positive parental
achievement orientation that will make their children to study hard in school.
Consequently, some parents seem to be more preoccupied with their businesses,
work and other things outside their home which makes some of the parents not to
be familiar with positive parental achievement orientation that is necessary
for them. Some of these parents exhibit non-challant attitude
towards what their children may need to study in school and at home as well,
while some parents with low literacy may not take part in the academic
assignments and activities of their children. And some parents may be busy with
their household chores or both parents work outside the house for daily
sustainability of the whole family. As a result, they may not have enough time
to monitor their children school lessons and assignments regularly. This
condition may lead the children that have such parents to feel helpless and
confused because they consider going to school more seriously when there is
positive parental achievement orientation. Studies also show that, some
secondary school students in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State have low
achievement motivation and these students dodge classes while some of them lack
interest in school work, and this is attributed to negative parental achievement
orientation.
The researcher has discovered that, there is also poor
school adjustment among secondary school students in Orlu Education Zone of Imo
State and some of these students indulge in examination malpractice, bullying,
truancy, dropping out of school, fighting, secret cult, and other
school violence and offences. This phenomenon could be the type of parental
achievement orientation these parents have and how motivated the students’
could be. Several studies have been carried out on students’ achievement
motivation and school adjustment of secondary school students and it appears
however, that there is no available study on the influence of parental
achievement orientation on achievement motivation and school adjustment of
in-school adolescents. Therefore, the problem of this study posed as question,
“What is the influence of parental achievement orientation on achievement
motivation and school adjustment of in-school adolescents in Orlu Education
Zone of Imo State?
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is to determine the influence
of parental achievement orientation on achievement motivation and school
adjustment of in-school adolescents in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State.
Specifically, this study sought to:
1. Find out the pattern of achievement orientation of in-school
adolescents’ parents.
2. Find out the pattern of achievement motivation of in-school
adolescents.
3. Find out the pattern of school adjustment of in-school
adolescents.
4. Determine the influence of parental achievement orientation
on achievement motivation of In-school adolescents.
5. Investigate the influence of parental achievement orientation
on school adjustment of in-school adolescents.
Significance of the Study
This
study has both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically, the
findings from this study will help to verify and sustainDavid McClelland’s
theory of achievement motivationwhich posits that, some people have an intense
desire to achieve while others are not so eager about achievement.
Practically, the study which is the influence of parental
achievement orientation on achievement motivation and school adjustment of
in-school adolescents will generate data that will be found useful to
psychologists, educators, curriculum developers, school administrators,
parents, students and the general public.
For the psychologists, they will benefit through seminars
and workshops because the findings when published are expected to provide data
that will help in propounding more theories on parental achievement
orientation, achievement motivation and school adjustments.
For the educators, they will hopefully benefit from this
study through seminars and workshops because the information from the findings
when published will give them more knowledge on level of achievement motivation
and pattern of school adjustment of the students.
For the curriculum developers, they will benefit through seminars and
conferences because the findings when published are also expected to help them
to design educational programme that is necessary for the students.
For the school administrators, the findings when published
will provide a high quality curriculum and instructions in a supportive way for
effective teaching and learning in schools.
The findings from this study when published will also be
beneficial to parents through seminar and workshop. Thus, Information they will
get will help them to know the pattern of parental achievement orientation that
is necessary for them and the findings will also help them to give their
children the needed motivation and support that will enable them to adjust well
in school.
For the students, the findings when publishedwill help them to know the pattern
of achievement motivation and pattern of school adjustment that is necessary
for them And the findings willhelp them to develop spirit of hard work,
self-confidence, purpose and goal setting before enter into any programme, and
it will also help them to have high achievement motivation and good school
adjustment.
Generally, the findings from this study will also form bedrock for the future
researchers in similar areas. This is because the results when published will
provide more empirical studies for future researchers.
Scope of the Study
The
geographical scope of this study comprised of all the SS2 students in the 98
public secondary schools in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State. Orlu
Education Zone is made up of 12 local government areas. The content scope of
the study is delimited to influence of parental achievement orientation on
achievement motivation and school adjustment of in-school adolescents in Orlu
Education Zone of Imo State.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study:
1. What is the pattern of achievement orientation of
in-school adolescents’ parents?
2. What is the pattern of achievement motivation of
in-school adolescents?
3. What is the pattern of school adjustment of
in-school adolescents?
4. What is the influence of parental achievement
orientation on achievement motivation of in-school adolescents?
5. What is the influence of parental
achievement orientation on school adjustment of in-school adolescents?
Hypotheses
The following Null hypotheses were guided the study and were tested at P <
0.05 probability level.
H01: The influence of
parental achievement orientation on achievement motivation of in-school
adolescents in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State is not significant.
H02: The influence of
parental achievement orientation on school adjustment of in-school adolescents
in Orlu Education Zone of Imo State is not significant.