Investigating risk for learned helplessness among low academic achievers at International Islamic University Malaysia : an exploratory study

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to explore the “Risk for Learned Helplessness in Academic Setting” (RLHAS) at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) among its low academic achievers, who had scored CGPA of 2.3 or below. The aim of this study was to find out the differences in risk for learned helplessness in academic setting of students across their demographic characteristics such as Gender, Location, Kulliyyah, Family Income Level, Father’s and Mother’s Educational Levels. Further, efforts were made to find out the degree and directions of relationships between students’ risk for learned helplessness in academic setting and three adverse academic factors, namely Impact of Low Grades, Unfriendly Relationship of Lecturers with Students, and Negative Perception of Peers about the Academic Ability of Students, which were assumed to primarily affect cognitive immunity and psychological strength of students in an academic setting. The population of the study was 606 undergraduate low academic achievers from Gombak campus, IIUM. The sample of the study consisted of 118 randomly selected undergraduate low academic achievers from 2nd year to 4th year, 63 males (53.4%) and 55 females (46.6%), with the consent of Admission & Records Division, IIUM. The study used an inventory-based survey method for data collection. The instrument named the Perceived Causality of Academic Underachievement Scale (PCAUS) was employed to assess students’ levels of risk for learned helplessness in academic setting. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS computer software whereby means, standard deviations, Independent samples T-test, One-Way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient were the statistical techniques used. The results indicated that among the respondents, 24.6% (n=29) were identified as students at ‘need attention’ level, 63.6% (n=75) were identified as students at ‘mild risk’ level, while only 11.9% (n=14) were identified as students at ‘high risk’ level for learned helplessness in academic setting. Hence, the majority of low academic achievers seemingly represented ‘mild risk’ level and remarkably, none of the students was identified at ‘acute risk’ level. The study further found that there were no significant differences in risk for academic learned helplessness across respondents’ demographic variables studied. The correlation coefficient analysis indicated that there was a significant positive relationship between students’ risk for learned helplessness in academic setting and impact of low grades and negative perception of peers. However, the correlation was not significant between students’ risk for learned helplessness in academic setting and unfriendly relationship of lecturers with students. The findings of the study, conclusions reached and its implications for educators and decision makers, limitations faced in addition to alternative research strategies and suggestions, recommendations needed for future research were discussed comprehensively.