TITLE:
Relationship between Locus of Control and Academic Achievement of Secondary School Students in Abia State
AUTHORS:
Onyinyechi Rita Chinedu, Chikaodili Benedine Nwizuzu
KEYWORDS:
Locus of Control, Attribution, Academic Achievement, Motivation
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Analytical Sciences, Methods and Instrumentation,
Vol.11 No.2,
June
30,
2021
ABSTRACT: The study intended to determine the relationship
between locus of control and academic achievement of secondary school students.
Some students have been observed to achieve higher while some achieve lower
even after being exposed to the same subject matter by the same instructor. The
objective of the study was to determine if locus of control correlated with
academic achievement of students as moderated by gender and school-type. The
study was anchored on attribution theory. The study adopted a correlational
research design. A total of 388 SS3 students in Aba Education zone were
selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Instruments for
data collection were an adopted LOC scale and students’ exam scores in
Mathematics, English and CRS. To determine the reliability of the instrument,
Kuder-Richardson reliability test (KR-20) was employed and an overall
coefficient of 0.76 was obtained for LOC scale. Data were analyzed using
Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Results showed significant
relationship between locus of control and academic achievement of male
students. Results also showed significant relationship between locus of control
and academic achievement of public school students. Based on the findings, it
was recommended that school authority should encourage good performance by
rewarding students with excellent performance, because when good behaviour is rewarded,
the individual is motivated to do better. Also, government should also provide the schools with necessary
infrastructures that would make teaching and learning very interesting.