Influence of Self-Regulation and Social Competence on Academic Achievement of Lower Primary School Pupils in Osun State, Nigeria

This study determined the prevalence of se1f regulatory skills (behavioural, emotional,verbal) and assessed the level of social competence of primary school pupils in Osun State. The study further examined the influence of self-regulatory skills and social competence on primary school pupils' academic achievement. These were with a view to providing information on the association between Self-regulation and Social Competence in relation to lower Primary School Pupils' academic achievement in Osun State Nigeria. The study adopted the correlational survey research design. The population for the study comprised primary III pupils in Osun State. Sample size consisted of 418 Primary III pupils selected using the multistage sampling procedure. Firstly, from the three Senatorial districts in Osun State, nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) were selected using simple random sampling technique (three from each senatorial district). Secondly, in each LGA, two primary schools were selected using simple random sampling technique. Thirdly, eighteen intact classes of primary Ill pupils were selected from each of the selected schools using the simple random sampling technique.The three instruments used for this study were: Sell-Regulation Observation Scale (SROS) Teachers Rating Scale (TRS); and Pupils' Achievement Test (PAT). Data was analyzed using percentage and chi-square. The results showed that the level of primary school pupils' behavioural self-regulatory skill was low (30%), emotional self-regulatory skill was at average (43%) while the verbal self-regulatory skill was low (27%). Overall, the level of self-regulatory skills of primary school pupils' was low (39%). The results also indicated that the level of' manifestation of social competence was high (64%). Results further showed that there was a statistically significant influence of self-regulatory skills and social competence on primary school pupils' academic achievement (x2= 873.532, p<0.05). The study concluded that whilst Self-regulatory skill contributed little to pupils‘ academic achievement, Social Competence greatly influenced primary school pupils' academic achievement in Osun State.