Educational Psychology and the Development of Social-Emotional Competence for Inclusive Citizenship Among Students in Some Selected Secondary Schools in Port Harcourt Metropolis.

Abstract

This study examined the influence of educational psychology on the development of social-emotional competence and its role in promoting inclusive citizenship among some selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The study was motivated by contemporary social challenges in Nigeria, including intolerance, poor emotional regulation, and declining civic values, which threaten social cohesion and inclusive participation. Guided by correlational research design, the population comprised 3,200 students from three urban local government areas. A total of 300 students were selected using stratified random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Educational Psychology and Social-Emotional Competence Scale (EPSECS). The instrument’s validity was established through expert review, while reliability yielded a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.87. Data were analyzed using simple regression statistics at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that educational psychology principles significantly influence the development of students’ social-emotional competence, and that social-emotional competence significantly predicts inclusive citizenship among secondary school students. The results suggest that when teachers apply psychological principles such as motivation, empathy, reinforcement, and guidance, students become more emotionally intelligent, tolerant, and civically responsible. The study concludes that educational psychology is a critical foundation for nurturing inclusive citizenship through social-emotional learning. It recommends integrating social-emotional learning into the curriculum, continuous teacher training in educational psychology, and stronger collaboration between psychologists, educators, and policymakers to promote an inclusive, emotionally intelligent society.