A Comparative Study Of Academic Achievement Among Middle And Late Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical developmental age characterised by fast physical, emotional, cognitive, and social changes that all have a substantial impact on academic achievement. The current research sought to compare academic accomplishment between middle adolescents (aged about 15-18 years) and late adolescents (aged approximately 18-21 years), as well as to investigate how gender, self-concept, motivation, and parental support influence academic behaviours. A quantitative and correlational study approach was adopted, using purposive selection to choose a sample of 75 school-aged teenagers from Podar International School in Nashik between the ages of 12 and 19. A systematic 7-item academic success questionnaire was used to gather data, with the purpose of measuring behaviours such as homework completion, test confidence, goal-setting, classroom involvement, and family support. The tool's dependability was validated by a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.981, suggesting high internal consistency. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis, which included descriptive statistics (mean, median, and standard deviation) as well as inferential statistics (t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation). The results indicated that students had typically high levels of academic motivation and self-perception, with mean scores above 3.6 on all criteria. One-sample t-tests verified these answers as statistically significant, and ANOVA findings demonstrated substantial changes in academic behaviour between middle and late teenagers. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a substantial link between gender and academic task completion.

These results emphasise the role of developmental stage and gender in determining academic success. The research concludes that personalised educational practices that take into consideration age-specific demands and gender dynamics may better assist adolescent academic growth.