The relationship of sense of powerlessness to antisocial behavior and school achievement

The study examined the relationship of sense of powerlessness (external orientation) to antisocial behavior and school achievement of 70 Nigerian Hausa secondary school boys. The Ss completed the Children's Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale, and their class teachers rated their antisocial behavior on the Rutter Child Behavior Scale; English and mathematics achievement scores were obtained from school records. The results showed that more externally oriented Ss were rated significantly higher with respect to antisocial behavior, and they tended to underachieve in school.