GENDER AND SOCIAL MEDIA AS PREDICTORS OF SELF-ACCEPTANCEAMONGIN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN OYO STATE,NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper investigated gender and social media as predictors of self-acceptance among inschool adolescents with special needs in Oyo State, Nigeria. The purposes of the study were to investigate how gender impacts self-acceptance among in-school adolescents with special needs,
find out the roles that social media plays in shaping self-acceptance among in-school adolescents with special needs, and examine the significant difference in self-acceptance between male and female in-school adolescents with special needs in selected schools in Oyo
State in relation to their social media use. A descriptive research design of survey type was adopted while simple random sampling technique was used to select 60 in-school adolescents with special needs from two special schools in Oyo State. The variables in the study were measured using self-structured research instruments named social media usage scale (α=.89)
and self-acceptance scale (α=.72) respectively. Data collected were analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) at 0.05 level of significance. The result revealed that self-acceptance among in-school adolescents with special
needs is significantly correlated with social media (r=0.91; p<0.05) but no significant correlation for gender (r=.001; p>0.1). Again, the result yielded a coefficient of multiple regression R=.529 and multiple R-square=.275. This suggests that the independent variables accounted for 27.3% (Adj.R2=.273) variance in the prediction of self-acceptance. Social media was the main contributor to prediction (Beta=.054; t=1.501; p<0.05) while gender had no
significant contribution (Beta=.010; t=.2776; p>0.05) and there was a significant difference in self-acceptance among in-school adolescents with special needs who are males and females in Oyo State. Therefore, it was concluded in this study that in-school adolescents with special needs who use social media more frequently tend to have higher self-acceptance level while male and female in-school adolescents with special needs have similar levels of self-acceptance. Based on the findings of the study, it is therefore recommended that parents should encourage open and honest discussions about self-acceptance, gender and social media usage among the in-school adolescents with special needs, educators should design curriculum that will promote self-understanding and teachers should also teach social-emotional skills and provide education on
gender diversity