Interactive Effects of Study Habits on Mathematics Achievement among Secondary School Students

This study examined the influence of study habits on the academic performance of secondary school students in mathematics. A descriptive survey design was employed, involving 200 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students randomly selected from five public schools in Lagos State. Data were gathered using the Study Habit and Academic Performance Questionnaire (SHAPQ) and a Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT). Analysis was conducted in SPSS (Version 20.0) using Pearson correlation and multiple regression. The results indicated that class attendance (r = .878, p < .05) and time allocation to study (r = .783, p < .05) had the strongest positive associations with mathematics achievement, while library use (r = .502) and note taking (r = .407) showed moderate relationships. The regression model was statistically significant, F(4,195) = 19.57, p < .001, with study habits jointly accounting for 42.9% of the variance in mathematics performance (R² = .429). These findings underscore study habits as critical predictors of students’ success in mathematics and suggest the need for targeted interventions to strengthen effective learning behaviours.