Hopelessness and emotional regulation as predictors of academic responsibility among Young Adults

Abstract

Many young adults lack a sense of personal responsibility for their learning and are unaware of how their attitude and behaviour impacts their learning outcomes. This study examined the roles of hopelessness and emotion regulation in predicting academic responsibility among young adults. Participants were six hundred (600) secondary school students drawn fromStaff Model Secondary School, Victor International College, Urban Secondary School and Ikwo High School Agubia, all in Ebonyi State. Participants were sampled using a random sampling technique. Participants comprised of 300 males and females, respectively. The average respondent age of the sample was 11.93 (SD = .77, ranging from 10 to 19 years). The variables were measured using Perceived Responsibility for Learning Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale and Emotion Dysregulation Scale - Short Form. A cross-sectional design was adopted for the study. Hierarchical multiple regression statistic was adopted to analyze the data with the use of SPSS.The results of the study demonstrated that hopelessness towards future feelings significantly and negatively predicted academic responsibilities (β = -.09, p< .05), while emotion regulation significantly and positively predicted academic responsibilities among young adults (β = .70, p< .001). The implications of the result projected the need for practitioners, parents and school stakeholders to emphasize academic responsibility by ameliorating hopelessness and encouraging emotional regulation strategies among young adults.