The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of academic self-efficacy, academic

In Nigeria, emphasis has been placed on secondary school students' academic performance because of its direct positive impact on national development. Young students in secondary schools today are expected to be leaders of tomorrow and their academic performance is sine qua non for gaining admission into higher institutions and the quality of manpower the nation can boast of in the future. Unfortunately and generally, secondary school students' academic performance in Nigeria is a serious matter for concern. Many researchers in recent time are interested in the factors affecting academic performance with a view to finding permanent solutions to the problems of poor academic performance of secondary school students. It is on this premise that the current study was conducted to examine the influence of some psychological factors on students' academic performance. Descriptive research design of correctional type was used for the study. The sample consisted of three hundred and sixty four students randomly selected from ten secondary schools. Two standardized instruments were used to collect data from the sample while students' scores in their previous promotion examination were used to measure their academic performance. Through multiple regression analysis, the researchers found that academic self-efficacy and locus of control jointly predicted academic performance. Further analysis revealed that academic self-efficacy significantly predicted academic performance while locus of control was not a good predictor. It is recommended that teachers, school management, school administrators and counselling psychologists should use appropriate psychological interventions to enhance academic self-efficacy of secondary school students.

Abstract:The human population growth and technological advancement have spurred radical changes in the global environments that are harmful. Unfortunately, scholars have continued to tackle these environmental problems without paying attention to the personality factors responsible for such phenomena. It is consequent on these that this study investigated the combined and independent effects of big five personality factors namely openness to experience, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism on secondary school students' environmental literacy. A field-based approach was adopted to collect quantitative data through the use of a questionnaire from 462 secondary school students that were randomly selected in thirteen secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. Multiple regression statistical analysis utilized showed that the independent variables were effective predictors of secondary school students' environmental literacy. These findings were limited to subjects in thirteen secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria, as well as the personality factors investigated. These findings provided evidence on the need for secondary school teachers, counselling and educational psychologists in Nigeria to utilize environmental education and appropriate guidance approaches to mitigate the personality factors responsible for environmental problems.