Locus of Control as a Predictor of Students’ Academic Achievement in Public Secondary Schools in Anambra State

Abstract

The study sought to examine locus of control as a predictor of students’ academic achievement in public secondary schools in Anambra State. The study was guided by two research questions. Correlational research design was used for the study. Taro Yamane Formula was used to select a sample size of 400 students from a population of 20,922 senior secondary two students in Anambra State public secondary schools. Locus of Control Behaviour Scale (LCBS) was used for data collection. The internal consistency of the instrument yielded coefficient alpha 0.74. The instrument was administered through direct delivery approach. Research questions were answered using simple linear regression. Findings of the study revealed among others that internal and external locus of control positively and significantly predict the academic achievement of students in English language and Mathematics. Based on the findings, the study recommended that teachers should encourage students to work hard in order to achieve success and disabuse them of the notion that fate, chance, luck or powerful others are the predictors of their scholastic accomplishment.