Asian Basic and Applied Research Journal

This study examined Predictive Influence of Emotional Intelligent and Peer Pressure as determinants of social media usage and Academic Performance among school-going Adolescents in Wukari Educational Zone of Taraba State, Nigeria. Three research objectives, research questions and research hypotheses were raised to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was used to conduct the study. A sample of three hundred and forty six (346) students were selected from the population of (3025) SSIII students in all the public secondary schools under Wukari Educational Zone using simple random sampling technique as guided by research advisory table. Peer pressure questionnaire, emotional intelligence questionnaire and social media usage questionnaire was used for the data collection. Data was also collected on academic performance, using Qualifying Examination result scores for SSII students going to SSIII. Reliability co-efficient of 0.74 and 0.61 of the instruments was obtained which was reliable enough for data collection. SPSS Version 23 was used to analysis the data based on the research questions and hypotheses raised. Hypotheses was tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression respectively. The study showed that emotional intelligence has positive influence on students’ academic attainment, the study also indicate a positive relationship between emotional intelligent and students’ social media usage as well as emotional intelligence and students’ academic performance. Therefore, teachers as well as parents should take this into consideration by guiding their children to associate with good peers. This will definitely help in inculcating good virtues and behaviours in them as well as to improvement their (students’) academic performance. However, researcher recommended that internet facilities should be provide for the students’ and they (students’) should be encourage to use them in ways that will promote their academic achievement.