PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING LEARNING OUTCOMES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the influence of intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, teacher-student relationships, and parental involvement on learning outcomes among secondary schoolstudents in Edo State, Nigeria. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was employed. Thequantitative phase involved 500 students selected through multi-stage sampling from 10 public andprivate secondary schools across urban and rural areas. Data were collected using the AcademicMotivation Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale, and theParental Involvement Scale. Learning outcomes were measured by a composite of self-reportedgrades and teacher ratings in English, mathematics, and science. Qualitative data comprised semi-structured interviews with 20 teachers and 10 administrators, plus classroom observations in fiveschools. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses showed significant positivecorrelations between learning outcomes and intrinsic motivation (r = 0.62), self-efficacy (r = 0.58),teacher-student relationships (r = 0.50), and parental involvement (r = 0.45). The four factors jointlyexplained 36% of the variance in learning outcomes (R² = 0.36, F (4, 495) = 68.42, p < 0.001), withintrinsic motivation the strongest predictor (β = 0.40). Qualitative findings explained these patterns:teachers and administrators reported that rural parents were less able to support schoolwork becauseof economic pressures and low literacy, while empathetic, feedback-rich teaching strengthenedstudent confidence and participation. The findings suggest that psychological factors are importantproximal influences on academic performance and that their effects are shaped by rural-urban andsocio-economic context. Recommendations include integrating motivation-enhancing and self-efficacy-building strategies into teacher professional development, expanding community-basedparental engagement programmes, and deploying school counsellors to under-resourced ruralschools.