Peer Pressure of Secondary School Students and its Impact upon their Academic Achievement

Peer pressure is the influence of a group on an individual to do something whether it is fruitful or harmful for the self and others as accepted by the peer group. The study attempts to assess the influence of peer pressure, both positive and negative and its impact on academic achievement of secondary school students. The researcher employed quantitative approach by using descriptive and correlational research design. A number of 117 school students of Class X were the participants of the research, which includes both male and female students. The sample was collected through simple random sampling method. Peer Pressure Scale (PPS) developed by Ms Amandeep Kaur (2020) and adapted in Bengali by the researcher was used and annual examination marks of the students was considered as the academic achievement. Statistical tests like mean, standard deviation, t-test and Pearson’s correlation were applied for the analysis of data. The important findings of the study are that no significant difference in peer pressure was found between the boys and the girls and a insignificant minor negative correlation between peer pressure and academic achievement of the students was observed. The findings of this study will provide a valuable insights for educators, parents, teachers and educational administrators to recognize the effect of peer pressure on the academic outcome of students. It may also help to develop appropriate guidance and intervention strategies to manage peer pressure efficiently during the adolescent stage.