Self-Regulatory Behavior of Adolescent Students in Ethiopia –The Case of Ayer Tena High School, Kolfe Keranio Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Article Information Self-regulatory behavior is an important personal skill that strengthens in the course of transition from childhood to adulthood. While self-regulation promotes healthy and successful transitioning to adulthood, deficiency in self-regulation would expose the growing persons to a host of undesirable behaviors including impulsivity, violence, health risky behaviors etc. The aim of this study was to examine adolescents" self-regulatory behavior and how it was associated with parental involvement and such other background factors as age, gender, family structure, and socioeconomic status. A total of 211 secondary school adolescent students were selected as data sources. SocioEconomic Status Inventory, Self-Regulation Scale and Parental Involvement Scale were employed for data collection. Findings indicated that the level of self-regulatory behavior was significantly higher among the adolescents. The same pattern was exhibited in all the three dimensions of self-regulation. While sex and parental involvement were found to have significant relationship with self-regulatory behavior, age, socioeconomic status, fathers" educational level, and family structure were, however, minimally correlated. Discussing the findings against a backdrop, basically of, socio-cultural reality of the study setting, further research was suggested to unveil this context of selfregulation using mixed research design.

Family Time and Family Structure as Correlates of Adolescents’ Self-Regulation in some Selected Junior Secondary Schools, Harari Regional State, Ethiopia

“…As it has noted by Buckner, Mezzacappa, and Beardslee (2003) in Tefera, Ahemed, and Fentahun (2014), adolescents who perceive themselves and their parents as having high self-regulation skills find to have lower levels of internalizing behavior problems (depression or anxiety) than peers low in these skills. Likewise, parental selfregulatory skills are supposed to influence their offspring's emotion regulation through fathers and mothers contribute differently (Barlola, Gullono, & Hughes, 2011).…”

“…In relation to family time activity and gender, similar to the current research, findings have noted that gender does not make any statistically significant difference (Tittle et al in Papalia, Olds, & Feldman, 2004) while family time activity has found to make a difference in adolescents' selfregulatory behavior. In this respect, inconsistencies are observed among finding some by Neuman & Koot (2011);Tefera, Ahemed, and Fentahun (2014); Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990); Neuman et al (2011). They have unveiled that gender does really make a difference in self-regulation.…”

“…Adolescence is the period where fundamental and extensive changes are supposed to occur in most of their biological, cognitive, psychological, and social characteristics (Lerner, 2009). In this period, the adolescents thinking becomes quite abstract (Piaget as cited in Tefera, Ahemed, & Fentahun, 2014), self-concept and selfesteem develop (Erikson, 1968); important adulthood skills like independent decision making, engagement of social activities, interpersonal skills, adjusting oneself to different situations are acquired (Leonova, Kuznetsova, & Barabanshchikova, 2010;Schultz & Schultz, 2009), and the desire to be independent increase (Papalia, Olds, & Feldman, 2004). This means it is the time when healthy identity that integrates one's ability, value, motivation and interest, and also positive evaluation of the self develop (Erikson, 1968).…”

“…Empirical findings have reported that the quality relationship adolescents have with parents, peers, friends, and romantic relationships determine their self-regulatory ability (Farley & Kim-Spoon, 2014). Similarly, adults support, regulation, and any other forms of bonds to different community organizations are likely to promote adolescents self-regulation (Mesten in Tefera, Ahemed, & Fentahun, 2014). In addition, the children's behavioral problems, as reported in Van As and Janssens (2002), are related to a lack of parental support, an imbalanced parent-child relationship, a lack of cohesion and structure in the family, and poor quality communication between parents and children.…”

“…Regarding gender difference in self-regulation, works of literature have shown some inconsistent findings. For instance, noted that females have better self-regulatory behaviors than males (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990;Amare, Galata, & Ambachew, 2018;Tefera, Ahemed, & Fentahun, 2014) while Tittle et al in Papalia, Olds, and Feldman (2004) have reported no significant difference in it. According to Pascual et al (2012), the female is better self-regulatory behavior in and male adolescents are also found to have statistically significant differences in their self-regulatory behaviors as regards frequency of negative emotions, difficulty identifying and describing emotions, primary control engagement coping, involuntary engagement responses, and wishful thinking, while the male is good as regards the frequency of positive emotions and secondary control engagement coping.…”