Investigating the relationship between Academic Motivation, Peer Conformity and Socio- Emotional Competence among Students

In its purest form, education extends beyond textbooks and classrooms while capturing holistic student development, including academic achievement with socio-emotional development and the intricate dynamics of peer relationships. This study investigates the relationship between students' academic motivation, socio-emotional competence, and peer conformity. The primary objective is to determine how peer conformity mediates the effects of socio-emotional competence on academic motivation. The three constructs were measured with standardised instruments on a sample of 350 students. Correlation and mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the relationships between these variables. The results show a significant negative correlation between peer conformity and socio-emotional competence and a positive relationship between academic motivation and socio-emotional competence. The mediation analysis confirms a partial mediating effect of peer conformity on academic motivation and socio-emotional competence. It emphasises the significance of Socio-Emotional Learning programs for improving academic performance and decreasing the negative effect of peer influences.