ABSTRACT

 This study investigated the influence of school type on adolescents’ interpersonal relationship in public secondary schools in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the descriptive research design. The sample for the study consisted of 1,583 respondents (765 from single sex schools and 818 from coeducational senior secondary school students) drawn through stratified random sampling techniques from a population of 15829 students (7648 from single sex schools and 8181 from co-educational public senior secondary school students) in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. An instrument named “School Type Adolescents’ Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaire” (STAIRQ)” was used for the study. The instrument was face and content validated by three experts: one expert in the Educational Management, one expert from Measurement and Evaluation, while another expert was from Department of Psychology, guidance counseling, all from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The reliability index of 0.89 was determined using cronbach alpha coefficient test. The data collected were analyzed using Mean scores and Standard Deviations in order to provide answers to the four research questions, while the null hypotheses were analyzed using Z-test statistics at P < 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that girls’ school type influences adolescents’ interpersonal relationship to a low extent in public secondary schools in Onitsha education zone of Anambra State, boys’ school type influences adolescents’ interpersonal relationship to a high extent in public secondary schools in Onitsha education zone of Anambra State, co-educational schools influence adolescents’ interpersonal relationship to a high extent in public secondary schools in Onitsha education zone ofAnambra State while school types influence adolescents’ interpersonal relationship to a high extent in public secondary schools in Onitsha education zone of Anambra State. It was recommended that students should be exposed to interpersonal relationships that will make them adjust to the social life ofthe external community outside the school among others.