PARENTAL ATTITUDES AND INSTITUTIONAL DISCIPLINARY AUTHORITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOUR AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65336/WJAEL.2026.3404Keywords:
Parental attitudes, school discipline, academic achievement, student behaviour, institutional authority.Abstract
Discipline and parental engagement remain critical factors in promoting academic success and positive student behaviour in secondary schools. However, the erosion of institutional disciplinary authority by parental interference has emerged as a significant challenge in Nigeria. This study investigated the influence of parental attitudes and the erosion of school disciplinary authority on students’ behaviour and academic achievement in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Anchored on Ecological Systems Theory and Social Control Theory, the study adopted a correlational research design involving 480 SS II students sampled through multi-stage sampling techniques. Data were collected using the Parental Attitudes Toward School Discipline Questionnaire (PASDQ), Students’ Behaviour Rating Scale (SBRS), and Academic Achievement Record Form (AARF). Analyses included Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Multiple Regression, and Independent t-tests at 0.05 significance. Findings revealed that positive parental attitudes toward discipline significantly enhance academic achievement, while parental interference negatively affects performance. Parental attitudes and institutional disciplinary authority jointly predicted 28% of students’ academic achievement, and students from high-support homes outperformed peers from low-support homes. The study concludes that home–school collaboration and consistent disciplinary enforcement are essential for academic success. Recommendations include parental education programs, policy enforcement, and structured behavioural monitoring.
References
1. Adeyemi, T. O. (2021). Parental involvement and secondary school students’ behaviour in Nigeria: Implications for academic performance. International Journal of Education and Research, 9(4), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.1000/ijer.2021.9.4.45
2. Baumrind, D. (2013). Authoritative parenting revisited: History and current status. Developmental Psychology, 49(1), 9–22. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029340
3. Bronfenbrenner, U. (2005). Making human beings human: Bioecological perspectives on human development (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
4. Castro, M., Expósito-Casas, E., López-Martín, E., Lizasoain, L., Navarro-Asencio, E., & Gaviria, J. L. (2015). Parental involvement on student academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 14, 33–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.01.002
5. Fan, W., & Chen, M. (2020). Parent involvement and students’ academic performance in secondary schools: Evidence from multiple countries. Journal of Education and Learning, 9(2), 100–112. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v9n2p100
6. Gregory, A., & Ripski, M. (2008). Adolescent trust in teachers: Implications for classroom discipline. Journal of School Psychology, 46(4), 455–475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2007.07.002
7. Hill, N. E., & Tyson, D. F. (2009). Parental involvement in middle school: A meta-analytic assessment of the strategies that promote achievement. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 740–763. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015362
8. Jeynes, W. H. (2018). A meta-analysis: The relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement. Education and Urban Society, 50(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013124516674306
9. Jonah, G. E., Duru, C. M., Akpanukoh, I. U., & Thomas, N. A. (2023).
Perception of teachers’ motivational variables and students’ academic achievement in Biology in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Interdisciplinary Journal of Science Education, 5(1), 90–97.
10. Nakpodia, E. D. (2010). School climate and students’ discipline in Nigerian secondary schools. Educational Research and Reviews, 5(9), 538–544. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR.9000050
11. Ntegwung, G. J., Sunday, E. S., Ukafia, O. P. & Edet, A. A. (2026). Impact of gamification and collaborative teaching strategies on students’ achievement in periodic table concepts in technical secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research, 4(1), 705–715.
12. Simons-Morton, B. G., & Chen, R. (2009). Peer and parent influences on school engagement among early adolescents. Youth & Society, 41(1), 3–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X09333647
13. Sunday, E. S., Edet, A. A. & Akpan, E. I. (2025). Effects of computer assisted instructions and computer animation on the teaching of chemistry in secondary schools. International Journal of Modern Science and Research Technology, 3(11), 499-509.
14. Sunday, E. S., Umanah, F. I. & Udofia, S. E. (2025). Enhancing Students’ Academic Performance in Chemical Reactions Through Computer-Based Molecular Modelling, Hackathon Teaching Strategies. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), IX(IIIS), 1815-1824.
15. Thomas, N. A., & Inyang, M. I. (2021). Teachers’ effectiveness strategies and students’ attitude to learning in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Progressive and Alternative Education, 7(1), 195–204.
16. Uboh, D. E., Ekon, M. C., Utibe, U. J., & Babayemi, J. O. (2025). Basic science and technology achievement as a predictor of physics performance: The moderating role of gender among secondary school students in Oruk Anam. International Journal of Education and Evaluation (IJEE), 11(4), 55–70. www.ijee.io
17. Uboh, D. E., Udofia, S. E., Abasi, A. U., & Harrison, V. E. (2026). Instructional materials, students’ achievement and retention in physics in Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Journal of Research in Education and Society, 17(1), 20–35.
18. Uboh, D. E., Utibe, U. J., & Abasi, A. U. (2024). Academic interest as predictor of students’ achievement in physics in secondary schools in Abak, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Journal of Centre for Distance & e-Learning (JCDeL), 2(1), 1–12. https://cdeljournal.unn.edu.ng
19. Umanah, F. I. & Sunday, E. S. (2022). Crosswords Puzzle, Flashcards Teaching Strategies and Senior Secondary School Students’ Academic Performance in Chemistry. International Journal of Educational Benchmark (IJEB), 22(2), 1-12
20. Umoetuk, E. U.; Sunday, E. S.; Edet, A. A.; Elijah, A. M. & Williams, I. E. (2025). Computer Simulation and Expository Teaching Strategies on Students’ Academic Achievement in Basic Science and Technology in Junior Secondary Schools. GAS Journal of Education and Literature (GASJEL), 2(3), 28-34.
21. Wang, M. T., & Sheikh-Khalil, S. (2014). Does parental involvement matter for student achievement and mental health in high school? Child Development, 85(2), 610–625. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12153
