Influence of Socio-Demographic Variables on School Adjustment Among Secondary School Students

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of socio-demographic variables on the school adjustment of secondary school students. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between family type, socio-economic status, parental level of education, parenting style, gender, and school location with students' adjustment to school. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised 5,247 Senior Secondary II (SS II) students from public secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. Using Taro Yamane's (1967) formula, a sample size of 372 respondents was obtained and selected through a multistage sampling procedure involving stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Socio-Demographic Variables and School Adjustment Questionnaire (SDVSAQ). Face and content validity of the instrument were established by experts in Educational Psychology, Measurement and Evaluation, and Guidance and Counselling. Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficients ranged from 0.78 to 0.91, with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.86. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that family type, socio-economic status, parental educational level, parenting style, and school location significantly influenced students' school adjustment, whereas gender showed no significant relationship with school adjustment. The study concluded that socio-demographic characteristics constitute important determinants of students' successful adjustment to school. It was therefore recommended that parents, school administrators, teachers, and counsellors collaborate to create supportive home and school environments that promote positive adjustment among secondary school students.