IMPACT OF SOCIAL SUPPORT ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of social support on Students’ Academic Achievement in Senior Secondary Schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria. The research design for the study was descriptive survey. The population of the study was 24,430 senior secondary school students as at 2018/2019 academic session. A sample of 377 respondents were selected for this study using proportionate sampling procedure because population is composed of several subgroups that are vastly different in number. The instrument for data collection was the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) which was adapted from Social Support Scale for Healthy Behaviours of Demaray & Malecki (2002). The SSQ is a 40-item instrument designed along a four-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was validated by a team of experts in Measurement and Evaluation in the Faculty of Education, University of Abuja. In order to test for the reliability of the instrument, a pilot test was conducted using the split-half method (odd and even numbered items) of reliability, which yielded the reliability (r) value of 0.85 implying a high reliability of the instrument. The data collected were analysed using mean and regression statistics. The findings showed that parents, teachers, classmates and friends provide support to students; social support significantly influenced students’ academic achievement. It was recommended that parents, teachers, classmates and friends should be encouraged to sustain and improve on their supports for students through seminars, workshops and distribution of educative materials like posters and pamphlets.