The role of belief system, peer pressure and self-monitoring skills on social adjustment among senior secondary school students

Abstract

Social adjustment is an important indicator of psychological health which is currently attracting the attention of many psychologists. Many school-going adolescents get integrated, build social networks, and negotiate their new freedom provided by college life. This study therefore examined the contributions of belief system, peer pressure, and self-monitoring skills to social adjustment of senior secondary school students in Ogun State, Nigeria. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample size of 1,789 students was selected through the stratified random sampling technique from an estimated population of 21,000 senior secondary II students. 4 research instruments were used. Data were analyzed using the Canonical Correlation Analysis and Multiple Regression Analysis with results tested for significance at .05 level. Findings revealed that peer pressure and self-monitoring skills significantly relate with academic achievement of adolescent students from senior secondary schools, that belief system, peer pressure, and self-monitoring skills significantly contributed to academic achievement of adolescent students in senior secondary schools and that self-monitoring skills and peer pressure were significant predictors of academic achievement of the adolescent students, but belief system was not a significant predictor of academic achievement. Based on the findings few recommendations were made.