Socioemotional Correlates of Academic Grit among University Undergraduates in Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the socioemotional correlates of academic grit among undergraduate students in public universities in Abia State. The study adopted a correlation design. Three research questions and hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study comprised all the 53, 479 undergraduate students registered for the 2022/2023 academic session. A sample size of 540 was selected for the study using multi- stage sampling technique. Instruments used to collect data were adapted versions of the standardised Coleman’s Emotional Intelligence Scale; General Self-efficacy Scale; Cohen’s Interpersonal Support Evaluation Inventory; and Duckworth’s Short Grit Scale. The reliability of the instruments was calculated using the Cronbach Alpha technique. The computation yielded coefficients of 0.92, 0.88, 0.79 and 0.81 for the Emotional Intelligence Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Social Support Scale and Short Grit Scale, respectively. Face and content validation was done by 3 experts, 2 from the Department of Psychology and 1 from the Department of Psychological Foundations, University of Uyo. Data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, SPSS:27. The Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used to answer the research questions while simple linear regression was used to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed the following; that some of the socioemotional variables had significant associations with academic grit of the respondents. Thus, emotional intelligence had a strong association B = 0.91 (p < 0.05) with academic grit. Self-efficacy also predicted academic grit B = 0.83 (p < 0.05). However, social support had no significant association with academic grit B = -0.08 (p < 0.05), among university undergraduates in Abia State. Based on the findings, recommendations were made that intervention programmes should be designed to improve the mental well-being of students and peer mentorship programmes should be encouraged at the tertiary level of education to help instill grit among undergraduate students.