Title: Attitudes of Male Adolescents Regarding Education
Link to Full Thesis: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2Hhlsg1sQezdlh0M2NOY1Zlbmc/view?usp=sharing
By Shannon Marie Motter, Masters of Middle and Secondary Instruction at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania 2009.
Abstract:
Background The United States has undergone great transitions during the twentieth century, leading to transformations within the societal structure, including but not limited to gender roles. Much research has been completed to garner the effects of such changes, but not in regard to how they relate to a modern pattern of male underachievement in adolescents. The achievement of female adolescent students has greatly increased during the past century, while the achievement of male adolescent students has traversed in the opposite direction. For this investigation, the researcher undertook the question of whether or not peers were the deciding factor in the decision-making process of male students in regard to actions that may or may not lead to scholastic achievement.
Results Parental influence was found to be more important than peer influence. Time spent with family, friends, and the media did not appear to have any noticeable correlation with the other factors. One quarter of students acknowledged experiencing or perpetrating peer pressure regarding scholastic achievement. Most students did not enjoy school, but still expected that they would do well. They felt that their parents also expected them to do well, but the rates at which they felt the same encouragement from their peers was much lower. The majority of respondents did not express the necessary understanding of the connection between scholastic achievement and real world success.
Conclusion It was determined that peer influence was not the most important factor in the decision-making processes of male adolescent student at the Oil City High School. The adolescent males in this study did exhibit issues of peer pressure, lack of enjoyment in school, and other elements that likely were contributing to lower academic achievement. It was also concluded that more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms in place that contribute to the slide in rates of achievement, graduation, and subsequent higher education attendance of males within American culture.