Project – Peer Influence and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Academic Performance among Secondary School Students: A Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Education is widely recognised as a major instrument for individual development, social mobility, economic productivity and national transformation. Through formal education, individuals acquire knowledge, skills, values and competencies that enable them to participate meaningfully in society. However, students’ educational outcomes are not determined by classroom instruction alone. Academic performance is influenced by a combination of individual, family, school and social factors. Among the social factors that become particularly important during adolescence are peer influence and self-esteem.

Academic performance refers broadly to the extent to which a student achieves expected learning outcomes in school. It may be reflected through examination scores, test results, continuous assessment, grades, classroom performance and other indicators of educational attainment. Academic performance is important because it provides an indication of students’ mastery of knowledge and skills and may influence subsequent educational opportunities. Nevertheless, academic performance is a complex outcome that is shaped by several interacting variables rather than by intellectual ability alone.

The secondary school period is especially important in the educational and psychological development of young people. Students at this level are generally passing through adolescence, a developmental stage characterised by significant physical, psychological, emotional and social changes. During adolescence, young people become increasingly concerned about their identities, social acceptance and relationships with people outside the immediate family. As a result, the influence of friends and peer groups may become increasingly important in shaping their attitudes, behaviours and decisions.

Peer influence refers to the ways in which individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and decisions are affected by people of similar age or status with whom they interact. Peer influence can be positive or negative. Positive peer influence may encourage students to attend school regularly, study together, participate in academic activities, develop good study habits and aspire toward educational success. Negative peer influence, on the other hand, may encourage truancy, examination malpractice, substance use, delinquent behaviour, excessive entertainment, disregard for school rules and other activities that compete with academic responsibilities.

The increasing importance of peers during adolescence has been established in developmental research. Brechwald and Prinstein (2011), in their review of peer influence processes, explain that adolescence is a period in which peer relationships become particularly salient and that adolescents can influence one another across a broad range of behaviours and attitudes. Their review also emphasises that peer influence is not necessarily negative; its effects depend on the behaviour being influenced and the characteristics of the peer group.

Laursen and Veenstra (2021) similarly argue that peer influence is a pervasive force during adolescence and can shape both adaptive and maladaptive attitudes and behaviours. They explain that the desire for social acceptance and conformity can make adolescents particularly responsive to the behaviours and expectations of their peers. This is relevant to secondary school students because the need to belong to a peer group may sometimes compete with educational expectations established by parents and teachers.

Peer groups can influence academic performance through several mechanisms. One mechanism is peer modelling. Students observe the behaviour of their friends and may imitate behaviours that appear successful or socially desirable. If a student’s friends value education, complete assignments and prepare seriously for examinations, such behaviour may encourage similar academic practices. Conversely, if a peer group regards academic effort as undesirable or associates truancy and examination malpractice with social status, members may adopt these negative behaviours.

Another mechanism is peer academic support. Students frequently share notes, explain difficult concepts, discuss assignments and prepare for examinations together. Positive peer relationships can therefore create an informal learning environment in which students support one another academically. Research on peer networks has increasingly recognised that friendship selection and peer influence can affect students’ academic functioning and achievement. Black et al. (2024), in a review of peer networks and academic achievement, found evidence that peer network selection and influence can affect academic outcomes across different age groups, although the authors also caution that methodological limitations require careful interpretation of the evidence.

The quality of peer relationships may also matter. Positive relationships characterised by acceptance, cooperation and academic support may provide students with a sense of belonging and encourage engagement with school. Negative peer relationships involving rejection, bullying, victimisation or social exclusion may have adverse consequences for students’ psychological wellbeing and educational outcomes.

Nakamoto and Schwartz (2010), in a meta-analysis involving 33 studies and 29,552 participants, found a small but statistically significant negative association between peer victimisation and academic achievement. Their findings suggest that negative experiences with peers can be associated with poorer academic outcomes. Thus, peer influence should not be understood only in terms of direct peer pressure; broader peer relationships and social experiences may also affect students’ academic functioning.

Recent evidence provides further support for the importance of peer relationships. A large study involving more than 58,000 students found that the quality of personal relationships was positively associated with academic performance and that student-peer relationships were more closely associated with academic performance than student-parent or student-teacher relationships in the samples examined (Zhang et al., 2023). Although this study was conducted outside Nigeria, it reinforces the need to consider peer relationships when examining students’ academic outcomes.

A 2026 multilevel meta-analysis provides even broader evidence. Ding et al. (2026) synthesised 169 studies involving more than one million children and adolescents and found that positive peer relationships were positively associated with academic achievement, whereas negative peer relationships were negatively associated with achievement. The study also reported substantial variation according to developmental and cultural conditions. These findings reinforce the argument that students’ relationships with peers form part of the social environment within which academic development occurs.

In Nigeria, peer influence is an important issue because secondary school students operate within highly social educational environments. Students interact with classmates and friends throughout the school day and may continue these relationships outside school through neighbourhoods, religious organisations, sports, social activities and digital platforms. These relationships can influence students’ aspirations, attitudes toward education and decisions about how they use their time.

Recent Nigerian research has provided evidence concerning peer pressure and academic performance. Agbajeola (2024) investigated peer pressure and internet addiction as determinants of senior secondary school students’ academic performance in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State. The study involved 560 students from 11 schools and found that peer pressure and internet addiction significantly predicted academic performance. This finding is particularly relevant to the present study because Ogun State is geographically close to Lagos State and shares some social and educational characteristics with the Lagos environment.

Similarly, research conducted in Plateau State by Jibrin and Ufuoma (2026) found that both positive and negative peer pressure significantly influenced the academic achievement of senior secondary school students. The study involved 370 SSII students from public senior secondary schools and recommended peer mentoring and academic clubs as mechanisms for encouraging positive peer influence. This finding demonstrates that peer influence should not be conceptualised solely as a negative force; positive peer relationships can also contribute to academic development.

A related study in Lagos State examined peer connections and group study among secondary school students. Oni and Anyama (2026) investigated peer relationships, group study and academic outcomes among students in public secondary schools in Kosofe Local Government Area. The study used 250 students from five public secondary schools and employed a correlational design. Although the study focused on Kosofe rather than Ikorodu, it provides relevant evidence that peer relationships constitute an important area of investigation within Lagos public secondary schools.

In addition to peer influence, another important factor associated with students’ academic performance is self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s overall evaluation or sense of worth regarding oneself. It involves how individuals perceive, value and evaluate themselves. Among adolescents, self-esteem can be influenced by family relationships, school experiences, peer acceptance, academic success, physical appearance and social comparison.

The development of self-esteem is particularly important during adolescence because young people become increasingly conscious of how they are perceived by others. Students may compare their academic abilities, appearance, socioeconomic circumstances, social status and achievements with those of their classmates. Such comparisons can contribute to positive or negative self-evaluations.

Students with relatively positive self-esteem may be more willing to participate in classroom activities, attempt difficult tasks, seek assistance when necessary and recover from academic setbacks. Students with low self-esteem may doubt their abilities, avoid challenging academic tasks, fear failure and withdraw from classroom participation. However, the relationship between self-esteem and academic performance is complex and may operate in both directions.

Longitudinal research supports the connection between self-concept and academic achievement. Huang (2011), in a meta-analysis of 39 independent longitudinal samples, found positive relationships between prior self-concept and subsequent academic achievement as well as between prior academic achievement and subsequent self-concept. The findings suggest that the relationship can be reciprocal: students’ perceptions of themselves may influence achievement, while achievement experiences may also influence self-perceptions.

Valentine et al. (2004) similarly examined the relationship between self-beliefs and academic achievement through meta-analysis. Their findings indicated a small positive influence of self-beliefs on subsequent academic achievement after controlling for prior achievement. This suggests that students’ beliefs about themselves may contribute to educational outcomes, although the magnitude of the effect should not be exaggerated.

More recent longitudinal evidence further strengthens this relationship. Wagner et al. (2024), through a meta-analytic examination of longitudinal relationships among self-esteem, social relationships and academic achievement during adolescence, found that higher self-esteem was prospectively associated with better academic performance and that academic performance also predicted later self-esteem. This reciprocal relationship is important because academic success may strengthen students’ confidence, while positive self-evaluations may encourage students to engage more actively in academic tasks.

Research involving adolescents in England and the United States has also reported relationships between self-esteem and academic achievement. Orth and colleagues’ work on self-esteem development and adolescent adjustment, together with related empirical studies, indicates that self-esteem represents an important psychosocial characteristic during adolescence. A comparative study of young adolescents in England and the United States also found relationships between earlier self-esteem and later academic achievement (Ross & Broh, 2000/2011 reporting context).

The relationship between self-esteem and academic performance may operate through several psychological processes. First, self-esteem may influence students’ confidence in their ability to succeed. Second, it may affect willingness to attempt difficult academic tasks. Third, it may influence persistence after failure. Fourth, it may shape students’ responses to criticism from teachers and peers. Fifth, it may affect the extent to which students participate in classroom activities.

However, it would be inappropriate to assume that high self-esteem automatically produces high academic performance. Self-esteem is multidimensional, and students may possess high general self-esteem without necessarily having strong academic competence. Academic self-concept may therefore be more closely connected to educational outcomes than global self-esteem. This distinction is important when interpreting research on self-esteem and academic achievement.

The interaction between peer influence and self-esteem is also worthy of attention. Adolescents frequently develop their perceptions of themselves partly through interactions with peers. Acceptance by classmates may strengthen feelings of self-worth, whereas rejection, ridicule, bullying or negative comparison may weaken them. Consequently, peer experiences can potentially influence academic performance both directly through peer behaviours and indirectly through students’ psychological self-evaluations.

Wagner et al. (2024) specifically examined the longitudinal interplay between self-esteem and social relationships alongside academic achievement. Their findings provide evidence that self-esteem and social relationships should be considered within the broader developmental context of adolescence rather than as completely independent variables.

The interaction between peer influence and self-esteem may therefore be particularly important in secondary schools. A student with strong self-esteem may be more capable of resisting negative peer pressure and maintaining commitment to academic goals. Conversely, a student with low self-esteem may be more dependent on peer approval and therefore more susceptible to peer pressure. This does not mean that low self-esteem automatically causes negative peer behaviour, but it indicates that the two variables may interact within adolescents’ social and academic experiences.

The Nigerian educational environment makes this issue especially significant. Secondary school students may face pressure relating to academic achievement, socioeconomic status, clothing, technology, social media, relationships and other aspects of adolescent life. Students who are highly concerned with peer approval may sometimes prioritise social activities over academic responsibilities.

At the same time, positive peer groups can promote academic development. Students can form study groups, share educational materials, explain difficult subjects to one another and encourage classmates before examinations. Peer mentoring can also help academically weaker students receive support from classmates. Thus, the objective of educational intervention should not necessarily be to eliminate peer influence but to encourage positive peer influence.

The school environment also plays a role in determining whether peer relationships become supportive or harmful. Teachers, school counsellors and administrators can create structures that encourage cooperation, peer mentoring, academic clubs and inclusive classroom relationships. Such measures may help students develop constructive peer networks.

Self-esteem can likewise be supported by the school environment. Teachers who provide constructive feedback, recognise improvement and avoid humiliating students can contribute to healthier self-evaluations. Guidance counsellors can also help students manage academic failure, social comparison and peer pressure.

The relevance of these issues is demonstrated by Nigerian research. Mordi et al. examined self-esteem, peer pressure, examination anxiety and academic performance among senior secondary students in Delta North Senatorial District and reported significant relationships between self-esteem, peer pressure and academic performance. The study is relevant because it considers both major psychosocial variables included in the present research.

Another recent study examining students’ self-esteem and peer pressure reported significant relationships between these variables and students’ scholarly activities, with the research highlighting the relevance of counselling interventions in Nigerian educational settings.

These findings suggest that academic performance should be examined within a broader psychosocial framework. Students are not simply recipients of classroom instruction; they are developing individuals whose academic behaviour is affected by their social relationships and perceptions of themselves.

The Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State provides a useful context for examining these issues. Ikorodu is an important and rapidly developing part of Lagos State with a substantial population and a growing educational environment. Its secondary schools serve students from different family, socioeconomic and social backgrounds. Consequently, students may experience different forms of peer influence and possess different levels of self-esteem.

Evidence from research conducted in Ikorodu already indicates that school climate and peer support may be associated with students’ academic performance. A study of junior secondary school students in Ikorodu examined teachers’ support, peer support and student autonomy as school-climate indices and found teacher support to be particularly important in determining academic performance. Although the study did not focus specifically on self-esteem, it demonstrates the relevance of the school social environment to academic outcomes in Ikorodu.

The present study differs by examining peer influence and self-esteem simultaneously as predictors of academic performance. This approach is important because students’ academic outcomes may be influenced by both external social relationships and internal psychological characteristics.

The need for the present study is further strengthened by the fact that existing studies often examine peer pressure or self-esteem separately. Some Nigerian studies have focused on peer pressure and academic performance, while others have examined self-esteem and academic achievement. A combined examination of both variables can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the psychosocial factors associated with students’ academic performance.

The study is also significant because peer influence is not necessarily synonymous with peer pressure. Peer influence includes both positive and negative processes through which peers affect one another, whereas peer pressure generally refers more specifically to perceived pressure to conform. The present study therefore adopts the broader concept of peer influence to accommodate academic support, modelling, group norms, conformity and potentially negative peer pressure.

Academic performance will similarly be considered as an educational outcome that may be reflected in students’ examination scores, test results and other school-based measures. The study does not assume that peer influence or self-esteem alone determines students’ performance. Instead, it investigates whether these psychosocial variables significantly predict academic performance within the selected secondary schools.

The importance of this investigation is particularly clear given the increasing concern about students’ educational outcomes and psychosocial wellbeing. Improving academic performance requires more than curriculum reform and instructional improvement. It also requires attention to the social and psychological conditions under which students learn.

Consequently, the present study, titled “Peer Influence and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Academic Performance among Secondary School Students: A Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State,” seeks to examine the extent to which peer influence and self-esteem predict students’ academic performance and provide evidence that can assist teachers, counsellors, parents, school administrators and other educational stakeholders.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Academic performance remains a major concern among secondary school students because it influences students’ educational progression, opportunities for further education and preparation for future employment. Despite the efforts of parents, teachers, schools and government, differences in academic performance continue to exist among students. While some students demonstrate strong academic achievement, others experience persistent difficulties, poor examination results, weak classroom participation and inadequate commitment to schoolwork.

The problem of academic underperformance cannot be attributed to a single factor. Students’ academic outcomes are influenced by teaching quality, school resources, family background, socioeconomic circumstances, study habits, motivation, psychological wellbeing and social relationships. Among these factors, peer influence and self-esteem deserve particular attention because secondary school students are at a developmental stage in which social relationships and self-evaluation become increasingly important.

One major concern is the influence of peer groups on students’ academic behaviour. Adolescents spend considerable amounts of time with friends and classmates, and these relationships can influence their attitudes towards school. Brechwald and Prinstein (2011) and Laursen and Veenstra (2021) demonstrate that peer influence is particularly important during adolescence and can affect both adaptive and maladaptive behaviours.

Positive peer influence can contribute to academic development when students associate with peers who value education, attend school regularly, participate in academic activities and encourage one another to study. However, negative peer influence may expose students to truancy, excessive social activities, examination malpractice, substance use and other behaviours that interfere with learning.

The problem is therefore not simply the existence of peer groups but the quality and direction of peer influence experienced by students. A student may belong to a peer group that encourages academic achievement or one that discourages serious engagement with schoolwork. Recent research has demonstrated that peer relationships and peer networks can be significantly associated with academic functioning and achievement.

Nigerian evidence also indicates that peer pressure may be associated with academic outcomes. Agbajeola (2024) found that peer pressure significantly predicted academic performance among senior secondary school students in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Jibrin and Ufuoma (2026) similarly reported significant effects of both positive and negative peer pressure on the academic achievement of secondary school students in Plateau State.

These findings raise concerns about the experiences of students in Lagos State, including those in Ikorodu. Students in Ikorodu may encounter different forms of peer influence within school, neighbourhood and online environments. However, evidence specifically examining peer influence as a predictor of academic performance among secondary school students in selected schools in Ikorodu remains limited.

A second major problem concerns students’ self-esteem. Adolescents are increasingly concerned about their personal identity, academic ability, physical appearance, social acceptance and perceptions of others. Students who develop negative perceptions of themselves may doubt their academic abilities, avoid challenging tasks and become discouraged when they experience failure.

Research suggests that positive self-beliefs are associated with academic outcomes. Huang (2011) found a positive longitudinal relationship between self-concept and subsequent academic achievement, while Wagner et al. (2024) found prospective relationships between self-esteem and academic performance during adolescence.

However, the relationship may be reciprocal. Students who perform well academically may develop greater confidence in themselves, while students who repeatedly experience academic failure may develop negative academic self-perceptions. This creates a potential cycle in which academic difficulties weaken self-esteem, and weakened self-esteem may subsequently affect academic engagement and performance.

The problem may be particularly serious where students compare themselves continuously with their peers. Academic competition can motivate some students, but repeated comparison with classmates who appear more successful may produce feelings of inadequacy in others. Social acceptance and rejection can also influence how students evaluate themselves.

Peer relationships can therefore intersect with self-esteem. Negative peer experiences such as bullying, rejection or ridicule may damage students’ self-perceptions and simultaneously interfere with their academic engagement. Nakamoto and Schwartz (2010) found a negative association between peer victimisation and academic achievement across 33 studies.

At the same time, students with positive self-esteem may be more capable of resisting negative peer pressure. Such students may possess greater confidence in their personal values and academic goals and may therefore be less dependent on peer approval. This possibility makes it important to examine peer influence and self-esteem together rather than treating them as entirely independent variables.

Another concern is that many studies on students’ academic outcomes focus primarily on cognitive and school-related factors. While these factors are undoubtedly important, the social and psychological dimensions of students’ experiences can also contribute to their educational outcomes. The findings of Wagner et al. (2024) demonstrate the value of examining academic achievement alongside self-esteem and social relationships within an integrated developmental framework.

There is also a contextual problem. Findings from studies conducted in other parts of Nigeria cannot automatically be generalised to Ikorodu Local Government Area. Differences in school environment, community characteristics, socioeconomic circumstances, peer culture and student experiences may produce different patterns of relationships among variables.

Existing evidence from Ikorodu has examined aspects of school climate and academic performance, including peer support, teacher support and student autonomy. However, there remains a need for a study that specifically examines peer influence and self-esteem as joint predictors of academic performance.

The problem is therefore not simply that some students perform poorly academically. The deeper concern is the insufficient empirical understanding of how students’ social relationships with peers and their perceptions of self-worth may jointly contribute to differences in academic performance.

If negative peer influence significantly predicts poor academic performance, schools may need to strengthen peer mentoring, academic clubs, counselling and positive peer-learning programmes. If self-esteem significantly predicts academic performance, schools may need to strengthen guidance and counselling programmes aimed at improving students’ confidence, resilience and positive self-perception.

The absence of sufficient local evidence may make it difficult for school administrators and counsellors to determine which psychosocial interventions should receive greater attention. It is therefore necessary to investigate the relative contribution of peer influence and self-esteem to academic performance among secondary school students in selected schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area.

Consequently, the central problem of this study is the limited empirical evidence on the extent to which peer influence and self-esteem predict academic performance among secondary school students in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State. The study seeks to address this problem by examining the relationship between peer influence, self-esteem and academic performance and determining whether the two psychosocial variables significantly predict students’ academic outcomes.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The main aim of this study is to examine peer influence and self-esteem as predictors of academic performance among secondary school students in selected secondary schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives are to:

1. examine the level of peer influence among secondary school students in selected schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area;
2. assess the level of self-esteem among secondary school students in the selected schools;
3. determine the level of academic performance among the students;
4. examine the relationship between peer influence and students’ academic performance

1.5 Research Questions

The study will answer the following research questions:

1. What is the level of peer influence among secondary school students in selected schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area?
2. What is the level of self-esteem among the secondary school students?
3. What is the level of academic performance among the students?
4. What relationship exists between peer influence and students’ academic performance?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: Peer influence and self-esteem do not significantly jointly predict academic performance among secondary school students in selected secondary schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State.

1.7 Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to students, parents, teachers, guidance counsellors, school administrators, educational policymakers and future researchers.

Students

The findings may help students understand the importance of choosing supportive friends and developing positive perceptions of themselves. Students may become more conscious of the ways their peer relationships and self-evaluations can influence their educational behaviour.

Parents

The study may help parents understand the social and psychological experiences of adolescents. Parents may be better positioned to recognise signs of negative peer influence, low self-esteem and academic difficulties and provide appropriate guidance and support.

Teachers

Teachers may benefit from a better understanding of the relationship between students’ peer experiences, self-esteem and academic performance. Such knowledge may enable teachers to identify students who require additional academic, emotional or social support.

Guidance Counsellors

The study may be particularly useful to school counsellors. Findings concerning peer influence may inform peer mentoring and group counselling programmes, while findings concerning self-esteem may support interventions aimed at developing students’ confidence, resilience and positive self-perception.

School Administrators

School administrators may use the findings to develop programmes that promote positive peer relationships, academic clubs, cooperative learning, anti-bullying initiatives and student-support systems.

Educational Policymakers

The findings may provide evidence for policymakers concerning the importance of psychosocial variables in secondary education. Policies addressing student wellbeing and academic achievement may benefit from incorporating peer relationships and self-esteem development.

Future Researchers

The study may contribute to existing literature on adolescent development, peer influence, self-esteem and academic performance in Nigeria. It may also provide a basis for comparative studies involving other local government areas or states.

1.8 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to peer influence and self-esteem as predictors of academic performance among secondary school students in selected secondary schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State.

The major independent variables are:

• Peer Influence
• Self-Esteem

The dependent variable is:

• Academic Performance

Peer influence will be examined in terms of:

• peer academic support;
• peer modelling;
• peer conformity;
• positive peer influence;
• negative peer pressure; and
• peer attitudes toward schooling.

Self-esteem will be examined through students’:

• self-worth;
• self-confidence;
• self-acceptance;
• perceived competence;
• feelings of adequacy; and
• general evaluation of self.

Academic performance will be assessed using appropriate school-based academic indicators, such as students’ examination or continuous assessment results, subject to the methodology adopted in subsequent chapters.

Geographically, the study is restricted to selected secondary schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State. It does not cover all secondary schools in Lagos State.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Academic Performance: The level of educational achievement demonstrated by a student as reflected in examination scores, test results, continuous assessment or other recognised school-based measures.

Peer Influence: The process through which students’ attitudes, behaviours, decisions, values and academic activities are affected by friends or other individuals of similar age or social status.

Positive Peer Influence: Peer behaviours or relationships that encourage constructive activities such as studying, attending school, completing assignments and pursuing educational goals.

Negative Peer Influence: Peer behaviours or pressures that encourage activities that may interfere with students’ educational responsibilities, such as truancy, excessive social activities, substance use or disregard for school rules.

Peer Pressure: Perceived encouragement or pressure from peers to conform to particular attitudes, behaviours or expectations.

Self-Esteem: An individual’s overall evaluation and sense of personal worth, adequacy and value.

Self-Confidence: The belief that one possesses the ability to perform tasks successfully or deal effectively with challenges.

Secondary School Students: Learners enrolled in secondary education in the selected schools covered by the study.

Predictor: A variable that is statistically examined to determine whether it explains or predicts variation in another variable.

Ikorodu Local Government Area: A local government administrative area in Lagos State, Nigeria, within which the selected secondary schools for this study are located.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into six chapters.

Chapter One presents the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, aim and objectives, research questions, research hypothesis, significance, scope and operational definitions of terms.

Chapter Two will review relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature relating to peer influence, self-esteem and academic performance.

Chapter Three will present the research methodology, including research design, population, sample size, sampling procedure, research instrument, validity, reliability, data collection procedure and method of data analysis.

Chapter Four will present the analysis, interpretation and discussion of the data obtained from respondents.

Chapter Five will present the lessons learnt from the study and their application.

Chapter Six will present the summary, conclusion and recommendations.

Project – Peer Influence and Self-Esteem as Predictors of Academic Performance among Secondary School Students: A Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos State