Self-Esteem as a Predictor of Chemistry Performance among Secondary School Students in Kaduna State, Nigeria: The Moderating Role of Gender

Chemistry is central to scientific and technological development, yet students’ performance in the subject remains a concern in Nigerian secondary schools. This study examined whether self-esteem predicts chemistry performance and whether gender moderates this relationship among Senior Secondary School II (SS II) Chemistry students in Giwa Educational Zone, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A correlational survey design was employed. From a population of 1,390 SS II Chemistry students in 14 public secondary schools, 346 students constituted the analytical sample following purposive and simple random sampling. Data were collected using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a researcher-adapted Chemistry Performance Test. The instruments were validated by experts, while reliability coefficients of .89 for the self-esteem scale and .86 for the Chemistry Performance Test indicated satisfactory reliability. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, linear regression, and moderation regression at α = .05. Self-esteem significantly predicted chemistry performance, B = 0.168, SE = 0.040, t(344) = 4.22, p < .001, R = .42, R² = .18. Gender did not significantly predict performance, B = 1.087, SE = 0.781, p = .165; however, the Self-Esteem × Gender interaction was significant, B = −0.094, SE = 0.038, β = −.128, t = −2.47, p = .014. The findings indicate that self-esteem predicts chemistry performance and that this predictive relationship varies by gender.