Self-Awareness in Social Studies Teachers and Social Adjustment of Upper Basic Students in Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract This study examines the influence of social studies teachers' self-awareness on the social adjustment of upper basic students in Delta State, Nigeria. Concerns over student adjustment challenges, such as behavioural issues, absenteeism, and poor academic performance, highlight the need to understand how teacher characteristics shape learner outcomes. Guided by behaviourist and symbolic interactionist perspectives, the research employed a correlational survey design. Data were collected from 40 Social Studies teachers and their 320 students across eight public schools in six local government areas. For analysis, the mean social adjustment scores of each teacher's students were aggregated, yielding 40 teacher–student group data points. These were correlated with teachers' self-awareness scores, and regression analysis was conducted to identify predictive components of self-awareness. Findings revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between teacher self-awareness andstudents' social adjustment (r = 0.61, p < 0.05). Further regression results indicated that emotional self-regulation and empathetic engagement significantly predicted student adjustment outcomes, jointly explaining 37% of the variance. Gender differences were not significant, but school location exerted a moderating influence, with urban students showing slightly higher adjustment levels. The study concludes that teachers' self-awareness is central to fostering students' social adaptability and recommends integrating emotional intelligence training into teacher education programmes and professional development initiatives. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers, school administrators, and counsellors aiming to strengthen the psychosocial climate of secondary schools in Nigeria.