ABSTRACT

 This study investigated the extent bio-psychosocial factors predict hyperactive behaviours of pupils in South East, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational research design. Seven research questions and seven null hypotheses guided the study. The sample for the study consisted of 1,566 (713 males and 853 females) respondents drawn through multi-stage sampling technique from 3915 (1857 males and 2058) primary five pupils with hyperactive behaviour in 5477 public primary schools in South East, Nigeria. Two instruments namely: Child Hyperactive Behaviour Identification Questionnaire (CHBIQ) and Bio-psychosocial Factors Questionnaire (BFQ) were developed by researcher and validated by three experts: one from Psychology, one from Guidance and Counselling and one expert from Measurement and Evaluation. The internal consistency of the items was determined using Cronbach's Alpha method, which yielded reliability estimates of 0.77 and 0.91 for CHBIQ and BFQ respectively. The data obtained through the administration of the instruments were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient to answer research questions. Linear regression was used to test null hypotheses one to three and five to seven while multiple regressions were used to test null hypothesis four at 0.05 level of significance. Scheffe test was also done for a step-wise comparison of the means for hypothesis four. The study revealed the following findings: Bio-psychosocial factors (biological, psychological, social factors) independently and jointly to a very high positive and significant extent predicted hyperactive behaviours of pupils. Conclusion could be made therefore that hyperactive behaviours of pupils could result from biological, psychological, social factors and biological factors having the highest percentage contribution of 67.4%, followed by psychological factors with 59.8% and lastly social factors which predicted 52% of hyperactive behaviours of pupils. Bio-psychosocial factors (biological, psychological, social factors) may provide supportive frameworks from which one can assess the extent hyperactive behaviours of pupils could determine the nature of academic materials the pupils could be exposed to. Biological factors predicted only 4.6% and 4.5% of the hyperactive behaviours of the male and female pupils while psychological factors as psychological factors predicted 4.6% and 4.5% of the hyperactive behaviours of the male and female pupils respectively; with social factors predicting 4.6% and 4.8% of the hyperactive behaviours of the male and female pupils respectively and there was no significant difference in hyperactive behaviours of male and female pupils based on biological, psychological and social factors. Conclusion could be made therefore that hyperactive behaviours of pupils depend on bio-psychosocial factors without gender discrimination. It was thus recommended that school counsellors, teachers and parents should provide primary school pupils with hyperactive behaviour information from this study which would help them understand the primary components of bio-psychosocial approach to hyperactivity and the impact of hyperactivity on their academic achievement.