School of Psychology (SPsy.) Collections

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http://10.29.1.53:4000/handle/10570/190

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Browsing School of Psychology (SPsy.) Collections by Subject "Academic achievement"
  • Item
    Background characteristics and individual institutional experiences: predicting academic achievement among undergraduate students in a higher education institution in Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2024-12) Matembu Kipuru, Moris
    This study examined the interplay between background characteristics, individual institutional experiences, and academic achievement among undergraduate students at a Ugandan higher education institution. Adopting a post-positivist paradigm, the research employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, integrating quantitative analysis with qualitative insights to examine these relationships. Data were collected from a stratified sample of 754 final-year students across four schools at Makerere University. Quantitative data obtained through modified scales were analyzed using SPSS (version 26) with correlation, regression, and mediation techniques. In contrast, qualitative data from one-on-one interviews were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis framework. The findings highlighted conscientiousness as a significant predictor of academic engagement (ρ = .32, p < .01) and social integration (ρ = .25, p < .01). Gender was notably associated with social integration (ρ = -.08, p < .014) and academic commitment (ρ = .13, p < .01). Family income and A-level grades showed negative influences on academic engagement (ρ = -.07, p < .01) and social integration (ρ = -.08, p < .01), respectively. Both A-level grades and conscientiousness significantly predicted university academic performance, measured by cumulative GPA (ρ = .26, p < .01) and academic persistence (ρ = .26, p < .01). Academic engagement demonstrated a positive relationship with academic persistence (ρ = .38**, p < .01) and CGPA (ρ = .14**, p < .01), while academic commitment was positively linked to academic persistence (ρ = .35**, p < .01). Social integration positively influenced both academic persistence (ρ = .39**, p < .01) and CGPA (ρ = .14**, p < .01). Mediation analyses revealed that social integration (b = .15, p = .22) and academic engagement (b = .23, p = .30) partially mediated the relationship between conscientiousness and academic persistence. However, social integration (b = -0.02, p < .01) negatively mediated the relationship between A-level grades and university CGPA. Qualitative findings contextualized and illuminated these quantitative results, providing deeper insights. In conclusion, the study underscores the pivotal roles of background characteristics and individual institutional experiences in influencing academic persistence and performance. Recommendations include fostering academically oriented interactions, encouraging conscientious behaviors, providing financial and psychological support, implementing gender-sensitive interventions, and enhancing academic advising and peer mentorship programs. These strategies are essential for improving academic persistence and promoting academic excellence at Makerere University.
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    Self-esteem, risky sexual behaviour and academic achievement among secondary school students in Wakiso Town Council
    (Makerere University, 2018-11) Boonabaana, Caroline
    The study examined the relationship between self-esteem, risky sexual behaviour and academic achievement among secondary school students in Wakiso town council. The study was guided by the following objectives, that is, to assess the relationship between self-esteem and risky sexual behaviour among secondary school students in Wakiso Town Council, to find out the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement among secondary school students in Wakiso town council, to establish the relationship between risky sexual behaviour and academic achievement among secondary school students in Wakiso town council and to find out whether risky sexual behaviour mediates the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement. A quantitative research approach was employed in this study together with cross sectional and correlational research designs. Simple random, stratified random and systematic random sampling techniques were used to select the study sample. A total of 208 adolescent students responded to self-administered questionnaire and data were entered into and analysed using SPSS (v22.0). The hypotheses were tested using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and regression analysis. Results revealed that there was a negative significant relationship between self-esteem and risky sexual behaviour (r= -.73**, p < 0.01), Results further indicated that there was a negative significant relationship between risky sexual behaviour and academic achievement (r = -.56, p < 0.01). Results also revealed that there was a positive significant relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement (r = .42**, p < .01). Results finally indicated that risky sexual behaviour perfectly mediated the relationship between self-esteem and students’ academic achievement. (β = .01, p < .89). It was concluded that adolescent students who have high self-esteem were more likely to avoid engaging in risky sexual behaviour and may hence concentrate on their studies and achieve highly in their academics. It was recommended that attempts to improve the academic performance of students should focus on improving students’ self-esteem and controlling their engagement in risky sexual behaviour. Educationists therefore are required to help students build their self-esteem by providing continuous guidance and counselling as this could help them link their theoretical conceptions to the practical considerations.