Influence of Social Adjustment on Academic Self-Efficacy of Students With Learning Disabilities in Selected Special Schools in Ilorin
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The objective of the study is ascertaining the influence of social adjustment on academic self-efficacy of student with learning disabilities in selected special schools in Ilorin. The specific objectives are;
- To find out whether Poor interpersonal communication and behavioural problems can influence student with learning disabilities in selected schools in Ilorin
- To ascertain whether Inefficient social cognition can influence students with learning disabilities
- To find out whether emotional and motivational problems can influence students with learning disabilities in selected schools in Ilorin
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual framework
Social adjustment
Social adjustment is the relationship with family, friends and the school staff. School social adjustment means complying with rules and procedures of the school (Cook, 1990). It is the ability of a student to adapt the rules and regulations while being able to function successfully in the school (Huffines, 2002). Habit (2003) identified four factors, which help increase the level of social adjustment: (i) the personal and psychological needs among individuals should be satiated (ii) knowing and accepting the the self (iii) the individual’s skills and abilities to achieve basic needs, and (iv) ability to flexibly respond to external influences. According to Levine and Levine (1996), the four aspects of social adjustment are competence, personal development, social integration and social responsibility. Of these four, it was found that social integration was the most difficult aspect for mobile high school students. High school teachers play a major role in the adjustment of new students (Levine & Levine, 1996). As pointed out by Polloway, et al. (1994), youth spend most of their day in school, and their behavior in school is the crucial element in overall social adjustment. Many important life-skill activities are engaged in school, e.g. gaining academic knowledge; learning and practicing generalized skills like problem solving, time awareness, and responding to directions. Formative relationships with peers and adults are developed in school. The learning tasks of students and the others around them can be disturbed by inappropriate behavior in school. Research has shown that teachers’ evaluation of students’ academic performance is influenced by student behavior at school.
Social adjustment is an effort made by a person to cope with the demands or challenges of a new environment. It includes the individual’s involvement in social activities and satisfaction with various aspects of experiences. In the process of social adjustment, the individual tries to behave in accordance with the norms, ethics, and values that will enhance his survival, and meeting the social expectations of the environment. Different individuals have different social adjustment abilities. When individuals are able to adjust effectively in a new environment, it enhances their optimal performances physically and intellectually. In the school, parental control of students ceases, and the student is confronted with both new freedom and challenges. The school is a new environment that can trigger different reactions among students. The student now needs to reconstruct his/her personal relations in a new environment, and often causes some form of distress. Poor social adjustment of students with school life can make learning and general school experiences uninteresting for students. It is not enough for students to have passed through the primary school and seemingly declare parental intendance, there are still some tasks of effective adjustment to social and challenges through the secondary school. Positive and effective social adjustment of students is an important factor to effective learning and outcome of students. Students have different ways and abilities of dealing with school challenges. Some deal with adjustment problems constructively, while some feel overwhelmed and find school life difficult. Students are confronted with new personal and interpersonal challenges that include the need to establish new relationships, develop, study skills and so on, and still cope with already established relationship with parents, former peers and so on (Renshaw, 2013). When students find themselves in the school, it can reduce contact and social support from former friends and family members. Difficulties in dealing with the challenges may lead to poor academic performance and increased anxiety. Students who are adequately adjusted become more prepared socially, emotionally, and academically. But those that are not adequately adjusted are ill-equipped socially, emotionally and perhaps academically. Parenting adolescents for social adjustment is more difficult than previous years. The availability of technological and sociological changes that have occurred in many Nigerian homes, have afforded the child the opportunity of gaining knowledge and experience from the more advanced Western world. Adolescents are exposed to activities and information from people that challenge their person, family standards and values (Bornstein & Bradley, 2003). These changes have brought great benefits and problems, in the family forms, structures, parenting styles and children’s responses to issues. Experts increasingly describe the pressure on contemporary families as frustrating, demanding and confusing. Parenting adolescents for social adjustment has become one of the most challenging tasks of raising children. Adolescents are faced with problems of insecurity, inferiority, frustration and dejection. Compounding adolescents are other factors such as societal pressure and aspiration, well meaning friends and relatives, and conflicting theories presented in books and magazines, on television, videos, computer and satellite communication system in many homes. Dinkmeyer and Mckay (2007) affirm that many parents enjoy their children’s infancy and childhood but find their adolescence years a time of conflict. Another contending issue is the increase in the number of families in which both parents work at the same time, the number of one-parent families as a result of an increasing divorce rate. With working parents, the time spent with their children is being squeezed and the quality of care is of concern to many (Crounter & Booth, 2004). The way parents use their time with their adolescents, the various child care arrangement in relation to home care arrangement influence children’s social and intellectual growth as well as the resultant effect of the child being without supervision for hours everyday after school.
Chapter Three
Research Methodology
Research Design
The research design adopted in this research work is the survey research design which involves the usage of self-designed questionnaire in the collection of data. Under the survey research design, primary data of this study will be collected from selected secondary schools in Ilorin in order to determine influence of social adjustment on academic self-efficacy of Students With Learning disabilities. The design was chosen because it enables the researcher to collect data without manipulation of any variables of interest in the study. The design also provides opportunity for equal chance of participation in the study for respondents.
Population of Study
The population of study is the census of all items or a subject that possess the characteristics or that have the knowledge of the phenomenon that is being studied (Asiaka, 1991). It also means the aggregate people from which the sample is to be drawn.
Population is sometimes referred to as the universe. The population of this research study will be Seventy-five (75) staffs of selected secondary schools in Ilorin, Kwara state
Sample Size and Sampling Techniques
The researcher made use of stratified sampling technique because all the members have the same probability of occurrence. The researcher narrowed down the samples to selected secondary schools in Ilorin in order to determine influence of social adjustment on academic self-efficacy of Students With Learning disabilities.
In this study, the researcher used the [TARO YAMANE FORMULA] to determine the sample size.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter is about the analysis and presentation of data collected from the field through questionnaire. The analysis of the data with particular question immediately followed by the presentation of findings.
As mentioned in chapter three, 75 questionnaires were administered and 50 were retrieved and necessary analysis was carried out on them and presented as follows:
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain influence of social adjustment on academic self-efficacy of students with learning disabilities in selected special schools in Ilorin. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of social adjustment on academic self-efficacy of students with learning disabilities in selected special schools in Ilorin
Summary
This study was on influence of social adjustment on academic self-efficacy of students with learning disabilities in selected special schools in Ilorin. Three objectives were raised which included: To find out whether Poor interpersonal communication and behavioural problems can influence student with learning disabilities in selected schools in Ilorin, to ascertain whether Inefficient social cognition can influence students with learning disabilities and to find out whether emotional and motivational problems can influence students with learning disabilities in selected schools in Ilorin. The total population for the study is 75 staffs of selected secondary schools in Ilorin, Kwara state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
It is crucial to assist learning disabilities students to develop and cultivate social and educational skills during the transition period, thus allowing them to learn how to cope, not only during this crisis period, but with other life situations. Successful adjustment to junior high provides individuals with a basic adaptation skill that will prove vital throughout their lifetime, and the education system must do its best to help learning disabilities students in this process. Successful adaptation not only means academic achievement, but the development of resilience and appropriate understanding of social situations.
Recommendation
- Parents should set clear standards for their children, monitor and limit what they set, and also allow children to develop autonomy.
- Parents should be neither punitive nor aloof. Rather they should develop rules for their children and be affectionate with them. There should be cordial relationship between adolescents, and parents, staff and administration, participation in social and religious activities should be encouraged.
- Parents should learn to accept, guide and be concerned over their children’s needs to avoid academic, health and social problems. Parents and children should learn to maintain a cordial relationship and interaction to avoid family conflict and problem of the child’s social interaction with others in school and society.
- Parenting attention should be centered on organized abilities, needs, interest and desires. So that they can be expressed in a social context. This will enable the child to associate freely with others outside the home. Parents in this parenting styles or models should accept the child or individual with no personal regards of what the individual really is. This helps the child to develop a sense of self-belongingness, self esteem and independence because of the give-and-take, nature of the democratic parenting style. This is the most recommended style of parenting by child rearing experts.
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