RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENT RELATED VARIABLES AND PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between parent-related variables and the academic performance of senior secondary school students in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the relationship between parental socio-economic status, parental gender, and students' academic performance. A correlational research design was adopted. The study was conducted among Senior Secondary II (SS II) students in selected public secondary schools across the three educational zones of Adamawa State. A sample of 376 students was selected using a multistage sampling procedure involving purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Parent-Related Variables Questionnaire (PRVQ), while students' academic performance was obtained from school academic records. The instrument was validated by experts, and its reliability was established using the Cronbach Alpha method, yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.88. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and simple linear regression at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between parental socio-economic status and students' academic performance (r = 0.816, p < 0.05). The study also found a significant positive relationship between parental gender and students' academic performance (r = 0.819, p < 0.05). The study concluded that parent-related variables significantly influence the academic performance of senior secondary school students in Adamawa State. It was therefore recommended that governments and educational stakeholders strengthen support programmes for students from low socio-economic backgrounds and encourage the active involvement of both fathers and mothers in their children's education through school-based sensitization programmes and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) activities.