Psychosocial Factors and Students’ Discipline in Secondary Schools, Yumbe District, Uganda

ABSTRACT As a vital component for students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders, this study investigates the relationship between psychosocial factors (psf) and students’ discipline in Secondary Schools, Yumbe district, Uganda. The study was targeted to find relationship between self-esteem, motivation, peer influence together with school environment and students’ discipline in secondary schools. Unrealized self-esteem, lack of motivation, negative peer influence and unfriendly school environment bring about mockery to the efforts of all stake holders in secondary schools in Yumbe district. The study is based on Albert Bandura’s social learning theory which considers learning as an interaction between psychological processes of learners and the school environment to yield societal discipline. It used correlational research design between psychosocial factors as independent variable and discipline as dependent variable. Simple random sampling technique with questionnaires and interview guide questions was used to collect data on psychosocial factors and students’ discipline from six secondary schools. The schools were both Day and Boarding, single sex girls, Government Aided, community based and private secondary schools some O’ level only, while others both O’ and A’ level in status. The data collected was analyzed in SPSS to present the frequencies, mean of variables, correlations and regressions tables respectively. Qualitative method was used to clarify information of the quantitative data from questionnaires. The findings in the order of ranking revealed that self-esteem, motivation, school environment and peer influence were the most prevalent factors in secondary school discipline. This is to benefit head teachers, teachers, parents, students and stake holders to measure and validate their roles in expressing knowledge, skills and technical capabilities to developing psychosocial relationships that strengthen students’ discipline for a progressive learning in the district. Persistent decline in students’ discipline had been as a result of irregular guidance and counseling and meetings that would have strengthened their discipline. It needed parents and teachers to involve in close monitoring to reduce social delinquency in Yumbe district. The fall in discipline had been largely attributed to the collective misconduct of students with unacceptable social habits. Indiscipline is here by classified as student based, school based and society based. Possible remedies to curb students’ decline of discipline would include moral leadership training for students and display of accountable staff behavior in secondary schools. The target here is to awaken students’ selfesteem, raise their level of motivation, inspire them to select peer groups and later improve on school environment for an everlasting discipline of secondary schools in Yumbe district.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ i

APPROVAL .................................................................................................................................. ii

DEDICATION..............................................................................................................................iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................... v

LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................................viii

LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... ix

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................................ x

ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................. xi

CHAPTER ONE............................................................................................................................ 1

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background of the study................................................................................................... 1

1.1.1 Historical background ................................................................................................... 1

1.1.2 Theoretical perspective.................................................................................................. 4

1.1.3 Conceptual perspective.................................................................................................. 5

1.1.4 Contextual perspective .................................................................................................. 6

1.2 Statement of the problem..................................................................................................... 7

1.3 Purpose of the study............................................................................................................. 8

1.4 Research Objectives........................................................................................................ 8

1.5 Research questions............................................................................................................... 8

1.6 Hypothesis............................................................................................................................ 9

1.7 Scope of the study................................................................................................................ 9

1.7.1 Geographical scope ....................................................................................................... 9

1.7.4 Time scope .................................................................................................................. 11

1.8 Significance of the study.................................................................................................... 11

CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................................... 12

LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 12

2.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 12

2.1 Theoretical Review ............................................................................................................ 12

vi

2.2 Conceptual frame work...................................................................................................... 13

Figure 2: Diagram above shows the relationship between psychosocial factors and students’ 

discipline .............................................................................................................................. 13

2.3 Related studies................................................................................................................... 14

2.3.1 Objective one; the relationship between self-esteem and students’ discipline. .......... 14

2.3.2 Objective two; the relationship between motivation and students’ discipline. ........... 19

2.3.3 Objective three; the relationship between peer influence and students’ discipline..... 22

2.3.4 Objective four; the relationship between school environment and students’ discipline. 27

CHAPTER THREE ..................................................................................................................... 32

METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 32

3.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 32

3.1 Research Design................................................................................................................. 32

3.2 Research Population........................................................................................................... 32

3.3 Sample Size........................................................................................................................ 33

3.4 Methods of data collection................................................................................................. 34

3.5 Research Instruments......................................................................................................... 35

3.6 Validity and Reliability of the Instruments........................................................................ 35

3.6.1 Validity of the Instruments.......................................................................................... 35

3.6.2 Reliability of the Instruments...................................................................................... 36

3.7 Data Gathering Procedures................................................................................................ 37

3.8 Data Analysis..................................................................................................................... 37

3.9 Ethical Considerations....................................................................................................... 38

3.10 Limitations of the Study................................................................................................... 38

CHAPTER FOUR........................................................................................................................ 40

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA ................................... 40

4.0.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 40

4.0.1 Demographic characteristics of the Respondents........................................................... 40

4.1 Objective one; the level of self-esteem and students discipline ........................................ 47

4.2 Objective two; the level of motivation and students discipline. ........................................ 49

4.3 Objective three; the level of peer influence and students discipline.................................. 50

4.4 Objective four; the level of school environment and students’ discipline......................... 52

vii

CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................................................... 58

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................. 58

5.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 58

5.1.1 The extent of self-esteem and students’ discipline in Yumbe district, Uganda .......... 58

5.1.2 The extent of motivation and students’ discipline in secondary schools in Yumbe ... 59

District, Uganda.................................................................................................................... 59

5.1.3 The relationship of peer and students’ discipline in Yumbe district, Uganda ............ 60

5.1.4 Relationship between school environment and students’ discipline in Yumbe district, 

Uganda.................................................................................................................................. 60

5.2 Conclusions........................................................................................................................ 61

5.3 Recommendations.............................................................................................................. 62

5.4 Areas for Further Research ................................................................................................ 63

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 64

APPENDIX 1 A: DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION OF RESPONDENTS (FOR STUDENTS)

...................................................................................................................................................... 69

APPENDIX 1 B: QUESTIONNAIRE ON STUDENTS’ DISCIPLINE ....................................... 70

QUESTIONNAIRE ..................................................................................................................... 72

APENDIX II A: DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION OF RESPONDENTS (FOR STAFF)......... 72

APPENDIX 1I B: QUESTIONNAIRE ON PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AND STUDENTS’ 

DISCIPLINE ................................................................................................................................ 73

APPENDIX II C: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL HEAD TEACHERS 

IN YUMBE DISTRICT............................................................................................................... 76

APPENDIX III: INTRODUCTION LETTER............................................................................. 77

APPENDIX IV: ADMISSION LETTER .................................................................................... 78