EFFECT OF ADOLESCENTS SELF-CONCEPT ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 The Study’s Background
Many of people’s successes and failures in various areas of life are closely related to how they have learned to view themselves and their relationships with others. Self-concept is learned, organized, and dynamic. Self-concept is acquired: As far as we know, no human being is born with a self-concept.
It emerges gradually during the first few months of life and is shaped and reshaped by repeated perceived experiences, particularly with significant others. The fact that self-concept is learned has some significant ramifications.
– Self-concept is not instinctive; rather, it is a social product that develops through experience and has virtually limitless potential for development and actualization.
– Individuals’ perceptions of themselves may differ from those of others due to previous experiences and current perceptions.
– People perceive different aspects of themselves with varying degrees of clarity at different times.
– Any experience that contradicts one’s self-concept may be perceived as a threat. The more experiences one has, the more rigidly one’s self-concept is organized in order to maintain and protect oneself. When a person is unable to let go of perceived experiences, an emotional problem develops.
– Faulty thinking patterns lead to negative self-perceptions.
The self-concept is structured.
Most researchers believe that self-concept has a generally stable quality that is characterized by orderliness and harmony, that individuals maintain countless perceptions about their personal existence, and that each perception is orchestrated with all the others. The personality is consistent because of this generally stable and organized quality of self-concept. This organized quality of self-concept is explained in the following manner.
– Self concept necessitates consistency and stability and is resistant to change. If a person’s self-concept changed frequently, he or she would lack a consistent and dependable personality.
– The more central a particular belief is to one’s self-concept, the more resistant that belief is to change.
– As they say, Rome was not built in a day, and neither is self-concept. That is to say, because one’s basic self-perception is fairly stable, change takes time.
– Perceived success and failure have an impact on self-concept. Failure in a highly regarded field reduces evaluation in all other areas. Similarly, success in a prized area leads to evaluations in seemingly unrelated areas.
The self-concept is fluid.
To grasp the active nature of self-concept, consider a gyrocompass: a constantly active system that consistently points to the “true north” of a person’s perceived existence. This guidance system not only shapes how a person views themselves, others, and the entire world, but it also directs actions and allows each person to take a consistent “stance” in life.
Rather than being viewed as the cause of behavior, self-concept is better understood as the gyrocompass of human personality, providing consistency in personality and direction for behavior. That is supported by the dynamic nature of self-concept.
– The world and the things in it are perceived in relation to one’s self-concept, not just in isolation.
– Self-concept development is an ongoing process. Throughout life, a healthy personality is constantly assimilation of new ideas and expulsion of old ideas.
– Individuals strive to behave in ways that are consistent with their self-concept, regardless of whether they are helpful or harmful to themselves or others.
– In most cases, the self-concept takes precedence over the physical body. Individuals will frequently forego physical comfort and safety in order to achieve emotional fulfillment.
– Self-concept constantly protects itself against loss of self-esteem, because it is this loss that causes feelings of anxiety.
– Self-concept must constantly defend itself from assault, and opportunities for growth are limited.
In other words, self-concept is the sum of a complex, organized, and dynamic system of learned beliefs, attitudes, and opinions that each individual holds to be true about his or her own personal existence.
During elementary school and the transition to middle school, students frequently exhibit a decline in self-concept. This decrease is an adaptive response to the overly positive self-perceptions that are common in childhood. As adolescents progress from middle school to high school, their self-concept evolves.
As a result of their increased freedom, they have more opportunities to participate in activities in which they are competent, and their increased perspective-taking abilities enable them to gain more support from others by acting in more socially acceptable ways.
Young children tend to overestimate their competence because they lack the cognitive maturity to critically evaluate their abilities and integrate information from multiple sources, according to (Harter, 1999). As they grow older, adolescents gain a better understanding of how others perceive their abilities and are able to distinguish between their efforts and abilities. As a result, their perception of themselves becomes more accurate.
According to (Baumeister et al., 2003), although self-concept is frequently positively correlated with educational and social adjustments, it appears to be a result rather than a cause of high achievement. This is to say that the ability of adolescents to adjust educationally and socially is a more effective way of improving their self-concept.
1.2 Theoretical Foundation
Many theories about self-concept have been proposed by well-intentioned experts.
They are as follows.
1. Carl Roger’s person-centered theory.
Alfred Adler’s individual psychology
Carl Rogers’ Person-Centered Theory (1974). By far the most influential and eloquent voice in self-concept theory is Carl Rogers’ theory. He introduced an entire system of assisting in the construction of a system centered on the importance of the self. Rogers considers the self to be the most important component of human personality and personal adjustment.
He defined the “self” as a social product that emerges from interpersonal relationships and strives for consistency. He maintained that positive regard, both from oneself and from others, is a basic human need. He also believed that everyone has a natural tendency toward self-actualization and development, as long as it is allowed and encouraged by a welcoming environment.
According to research, adolescents whose mothers and teachers had high expectations for their future educational attainment outperformed those whose adult influences had lower expectations.
Individual Psychology: In his view of human nature, Adler believed that man is a re-creator of himself, with an internal mechanism for self-regeneration. He claims that man is primarily influenced by his sense of inferiority. As a result, he is always striving for superiority.
According to him, in man’s quest for superiority, he could be striving for the positive or negative aspects of social influence. When a person strives for the positive aspects of social influence, his behavior will be in line with the social demand and expectation of social influence, with the result being healthy adjustment. When he strives for the negative side of societal demand, his behavior will be out of sync with social influence. The result is maladjustment.
Adler used birth order to predict an individual’s characteristic behaviors. Individuals, according to him, fall into one of five categories: eldest second born, middle, youngest, or only child. Individual fall order has been discovered to be an important and complex variable in personality development.
1.3 Problem Description
During the adolescent years, children’s positive self-concept tends to decline. This decline typically begins around the ages of 12 for girls and 14 for boys. For some, the decline can be severe in early adolescence before gradually improving in the mid-teens. Adolescents who have a negative self-concept are more likely to engage in risky behavior and emotions. Having a positive self-concept, on the other hand, has been linked to positive social and emotional development.
Adolescents are unable to function without interacting with their surroundings. Their interactions with peers, family members, school personnel, role-playing, and other people’s reactions all have an impact on their self-concept.
People who have a low self-concept often judge themselves harshly. Such as “I am not good enough,” “I am a failure,” or “I will never amount to anything,” and these thoughts are accompanied by painful emotions such as sadness, anger, anxiety, fear, and worthlessness.
They may find it difficult to make decisions because they are skeptical of their chances of success. They also have difficulty making friends because they are shy and do not believe others will like them. In other words, they withdraw and frequently avoid situations in which they may be judged. They avoid taking risks or trying new things, especially when others are present. In other words, they feel inferior in front of other people.
People with a high self-concept, on the other hand, frequently report happier and more satisfying lives. They are more confident in their abilities to deal with problems and take on new challenges, and they are more likely to approach new people in order to make new friends. In some cases, high self-concept acts as a protective factor for many people, allowing them to deal with common life stressors more effectively.
1.4 The Study’s Purpose
The goal of this research will be to:
1. Determine whether there is a significant relationship between adolescent self-concept and educational adjustment.
2. Determine whether there will be a significant difference in students’ educational adjustment based on gender.
3. Determine whether there will be a significant difference in student self-concept based on gender.
4. Determine whether there will be a significant difference in students’ social adjustment based on gender.
5. Determine whether or not adolescents’ self-concept has a significant relationship with their social adjustment.
6. Determine whether there will be a significant difference in adolescent self-concept as a result of their parents’ socioeconomic status.
1.5 Research Issues
In order to achieve the study’s objectives, the researcher must consider the following questions.
1. Is there a link between adolescent self-concept and educational adjustment among students in the Bariga Local Government Area?
2. Will there be a significant difference in students’ educational adjustment based on gender?
3. Will there be a significant difference in student self-concept based on gender?
4. Will there be a significant difference in students’ social adjustment based on gender?
5. Is there a link between adolescents’ self-concept and their social adjustment?
6. Will there be a significant difference in adolescent self-concept due to parental socioeconomic status?
1.6 Hypotheses for Research
1. There will be no significant relationship between adolescents’ self-concept and educational adjustment among Bariga Local Government Area students.
2. There will be no significant differences in students’ educational adjustment based on gender.
3. There will be no significant differences in student self-concept based on gender.
4. There will be no significant differences in students’ social adjustment based on gender.
5. Adolescents’ self-concept will not have a significant impact on their social adjustment.
6. There will be no statistically significant differences in adolescent self-concept due to parental socioeconomic status.
1.7 Study Scope and Limitations
This study will focus on adolescent self-concept, academic and social adjustment, and will be limited to adolescents from selected secondary schools in Lagos state.
1.8 Importance of the Research
This research will be extremely beneficial to the Guidance Counsellor, school curriculum developers, teachers, students, and parents.
For example, the study will provide the counsellor with detailed information about adolescent self-concept and how it affects academic and social adjustments. Because counselling is a helping profession, the counsellor should be able to develop strategies to assist adolescents with low or high self-esteem in making the necessary adjustments to meet the goals they have set for themselves.
This research will be useful to those who create school curricula. It will assist them in developing a curriculum aspect that will empower students to be more active and optimistic in their outlook on life.
Teachers are not excluded from the list of those who will benefit from this research. It will expose them to the effects of self-concept on students’ academic and social adjustment, and then change their attitude toward such students in order to instill the right values and promote effective teaching and learning relationships in the classroom.
Furthermore, this study will benefit students by making them aware of the ills associated with an unhealthy self-concept and, as a result, will help them appraise themselves in order to come out of their shell and become more reasonable in the way they perceive themselves. As a result, they can direct their energy toward adopting a more favorable self-perception in order to improve their academic and social adjustment.
Finally, this research will help parents understand the impact of self-concept on their adolescent’s academic and social adjustment. The awareness will assist them in becoming mindful of the style of child rearing to adopt in order to assist the child in developing a more healthy self-perception.
Parents should engage their children in tasks and skill acquisition programs to help them develop a sense of industry. As a result, the child develops a positive attitude toward working with others, achieving status, and developing self-confidence.
1.9 Term Definitions
1. Adolescent years
2. Self-perception
3. Academic adaptation
4. Social reintegration
Adolescence: Adolescence is the stage of life when a person transitions from being a child to becoming an adult. This time span falls between the ages of 13 and 19.
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EFFECT OF ADOLESCENTS SELF-CONCEPT ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS
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