Sense of School Belonging, Grit, and Parental Academic Socialization as Predictors of Academic Engagement Among School Adolescents in Iseyin

David Ayodele Osobisi; Sunday Omoniyi Obiyinka

doi:10.56201/ijee.v12.no.2.2026.pg234.240

📄 Download Paper

Sense of School Belonging, Grit, and Parental Academic Socialization as Predictors of Academic Engagement Among School Adolescents in Iseyin

David Ayodele Osobisi, Sunday Omoniyi Obiyinka

Abstract

Academic engagement is a critical factor in students’ learning outcomes and overall academic success, particularly during adolescence. This study examined sense of school belonging, grit, and parental academic socialization as predictors of academic engagement among school adolescents in Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and a sample of 220 students was selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using standardized instruments, while academic engagement was measured using a validated engagement scale. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and multiple regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that sense of school belonging (r = .42, p < .05), grit (r = .36, p < .05), and parental academic socialization (r = .39, p < .05) had significant positive relationships with academic engagement. The results further showed that the independent variables jointly predicted academic engagement (R = .61, R2 = .37, F(3,216) = 42.18, p < .05), indicating that 37% of the variance in academic engagement was explained. Additionally, each variable made significant relative contributions, with sense of school belonging (β = .34, p < .05) emerging as the strongest predictor. The study concludes that both individual traits and environmental factors play important roles in shaping students’ academic engagement. It is therefore recommended that schools and families collaboratively foster supportive environments that enhance students’ sense of belonging, perseverance, and academic motivation.

Keywords

school belonginggritparental academic socializationacademic engagementadolescents

References

Allen, K.-A. (2025). School belonging: Evidence, experts, and everyday gaps. Educational Psychology Review, 37, 84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10055-x Chen, N., Ren, L., Wei, X., Guo, Y., Liu, C., & Li, J. (2025). Psychological capital and positive academic emotions as mediators between school connectedness and academic engagement. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 35(5), 635–640. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.065773 Huttunen, I., Upadyaya, K., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2024). Longitudinal associations between adolescents’ social-emotional skills, school engagement, and school burnout. Learning and Individual Differences, 115, 102537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102537 Jeynes, W. H. (2022). A meta-analysis: The relationship between the parental expectations component of parental involvement with students’ academic achievement. Urban Education, 59(1), 63–95. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859211073892 Katsantonis, I. (2025). I belong; hence, I engage? A cohort study of transitions between school engagement classes and academic achievement: The role of relational school climate. The Australian Educational Researcher, 52, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-024-00698- 0 Li, M. (2024). The interplay between perceived teacher support, grit, and academic engagement among Chinese EFL learners. Learning and Motivation, 85, 101965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2024.101965 McKellar, S. E., & Wang, M.-T. (2022). Adolescents’ daily sense of school connectedness and academic engagement: Intensive longitudinal mediation study. Learning and Instruction, 83, 101659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2022.101659 Štremfel, U., Barišić, M., & Bezinović, P. (2024). Addressing the sense of school belonging among all students: A systematic review. Education Sciences, 14(11), 1190. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111190 Szabó, L., Zsolnai, A., & Fehérvári, A. (2024). The relationship between student engagement and dropout risk in early adolescence. International Journal of Educational Development Open, 5, 100328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2024.100328 Won, S., & Lee, Y. J. (2023). Adolescent students’ grit: Do parents’ grit and educational expectations matter? Contemporary Educational Psychology, 72, 102137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2022.102137 Woreta, G. T. T. (2024). Predictors of academic engagement of high school students: Academic socialization and motivational beliefs. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1347163. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1347163 Xia, M., Liu, Y., & Chen, X. (2025). School belonging and academic engagement among adolescents: The mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction. Journal of Adolescence, 102(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2025.01.004 Yang, D., Chen, P., Wang, K., Li, Z., Zhang, C., & Huang, R. (2023). Parental involvement and student engagement: A review of the literature. Sustainability, 15(7), 5859. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075859 Zhao, H., Zhang, Z., & Heng, S. (2024). Grit and college students’ learning engagement: Serial mediating effects. Current Psychology, 43, 7437–7450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144- 023-04904-7

Sense of School Belonging, Grit, and Parental Academic Socialization as Predictors of Academic Engagement Among School Adolescents in Iseyin

Abstract

Keywords

References

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND EVALUATION