PEER PRESSURE, PARENTAL INFLUENCE AND SELF EFFICIENCY AS DETERMINANTS OF CAREER DECISION-MAKING ABILITY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OYO TOWN

Abstract

Career decision-making ability among secondary school students remains a critical developmental challenge that significantly impacts their future educational and professional trajectories. Students in Oyo town face persistent difficulties in making informed career choices, often resulting in poor academic performance, misaligned career paths, and reduced life satisfaction. Despite the recognized importance of effective career decision-making during adolescence, there exists a significant gap in understanding how social and psychological factors collectively influence students' decision-making processes. This study investigated the effects of peer pressure, parental influence, and self-efficacy on career decision-making ability among 300 secondary school students in Oyo town using a survey research design. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed significant relationships between career decision-making ability and all independent variables: peer pressure showed a negative correlation (r = -0.091, p = 0.001), parental influence demonstrated a positive correlation (r = 0.167, p = 0.004), and self-efficacy exhibited the strongest positive correlation (r = 0.365, p < 0.001). The joint effect of these variables was statistically significant (R = 0.393, R² = 0.154, p < 0.001), explaining 15.4% of variance in career decision-making ability. Self-efficacy emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.713), followed by parental influence (β = 0.470), while peer pressure had a negative effect (β = -0.129). The study recommends implementing self-efficacy development programs, parental engagement initiatives, and peer influence education to enhance students' career decision-making abilities.