Dr Osita Ernest Igbe
Abstract
This study examined school belongingness as a predictor of cyber-aggression among boarding and day secondary school students in Aba South Local Government Area, Abia State. A correlational research design was adopted. The population comprised 4,890 Senior Secondary II (SS II) students in public secondary schools in Aba South LGA, from which a sample of 360 students (180 boarding and 180 day students) was selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using the researcher-developed School Belongingness and Cyber-aggression Questionnaire (SBCQ), which yielded a Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.78. Mean and standard deviation answered the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation and independent samples t-test tested the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed, among others, a moderately strong negative and statistically significant relationship existed between school belongingness and cyber-aggression (r = –0.612, p< 0.05), indicating that students with a stronger sense of school belongingness were less likely to engage in cyber-aggressive behaviours. The study concluded that school belongingness significantly predicts cyber-aggression among secondary school students. It was recommended that schools should promote supportive teacher–student relationships and inclusive school environments to strengthen students’ sense of belonging and reduce cyber-aggressive behaviours.