Insecurity and Psychological Trauma as Determinants of Academic Achievement Among Senior Secondary School Students in Kogi State, Nigeria

Insecurity has become a concern for students in some parts of Kogi State, with possible consequences for their psychological well-being and school performance. This study examined perceived insecurity and psychological trauma as determinants of academic achievement among senior secondary school students in Kogi State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study assessed the level of perceived insecurity, psychological trauma and academic achievement, examined the relationship between perceived insecurity and psychological trauma, determined the relationship between psychological trauma and academic achievement, and examined gender differences in psychological trauma. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The study involved 400 senior secondary school students selected from public and private schools across the three senatorial districts of Kogi State through multistage sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, multiple regression and an independent-samples t-test. The results showed high levels of perceived insecurity and psychological trauma among the respondents. Perceived insecurity was positively related to psychological trauma (r = .714, p < .001), while psychological trauma had a significant negative relationship with academic achievement (r = −.642, p < .001). Perceived insecurity significantly predicted psychological trauma, accounting for 51.0% of its variance, while psychological trauma accounted for 41.2% of the variance in academic achievement. Female students reported significantly higher psychological trauma than male students. The study suggests that the educational effects of insecurity extend beyond physical safety and may also affect students' psychological well-being and academic functioning. Schools therefore need to combine security measures with accessible counselling and appropriate psychosocial support.