Social Support and Academic Achievement: Exploring the link in A Developing Country
Social Support and Academic Achievement: Exploring the link in A Developing Country

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of social support on academic achievement of university of Ghana students. The sample size consisted of 15 undergraduate students drawn from three halls of residence at the University of Ghana. The sample was made of 5 level 100, 5 level 200 and 5 level 300 students. The age range of participants was between 19 and 23 years. Qualitative data was collected using semi structured interviews and the data was analysed using content analysis. The findings of this study suggest that social support contribute significantly to students’ academic achievement through three categories which include; social support enhances good mental state or wellbeing which boost students’ cognitive engagement in learning and academic activities. The findings also suggest that social support is a motivator which drives students towards academic success, and also, the findings suggest that social support enhances academic achievement through self-belief and self-confidence. This study implies that as part of making educational reforms to improve student’s academics, all stakeholders involved such as lecturers, policy makers and the government should consider the psychosocial needs of students that can enhance their academic performance.

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