Cognitive Styles, Attention Regulation, and Sleep Quality as Predictors of Academic Performance among Junior Secondary School Students in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract

Academic performance among adolescents is shaped by cognitive, behavioural, and physiological processes. Research has highlighted the role of thinking styles, attentional control, and sleep quality, but limited evidence exists from the Nigerian context, particularly among junior secondary school students. This study investigated the influence of cognitive styles, attention regulation, and sleep quality on the academic performance of students in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. A quantitative survey design was adopted. A total of 221 students were randomly drawn from three Local Government Areas in Ado-Ekiti. Standardised instruments were employed to measure cognitive styles, attention regulation, and sleep quality, while academic performance was assessed using cumulative grade point averages. Data were analysed using regression statistics at the 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that cognitive styles (B = 2.80, β = 0.28, p < 0.001), attention regulation (B = 3.10, β = 0.31, p < 0.001), and sleep quality (B = 1.90, β = 0.19, p = 0.004) each significantly predicted academic performance. The full model was significant, F(3, 217) = 52.34, p < 0.001, explaining 42% of the variance in academic performance (R² = 0.42). Cognitive styles, attention regulation, and sleep quality are important predictors of students’ academic success. It is recommended that educators promote flexible cognitive strategies, integrate attention regulation training (such as mindfulness exercises) into classroom practices, and encourage healthy sleep habits to enhance learning outcomes. Policymakers should also design intervention programmes that address these psychosocial and physiological factors.