Exploring the psychosocial factors impacting undergraduate students’ academic performance at a South African university

Abstract

Literature exploring the academic performance of students shows that undergraduate students experience socioeconomic, psychological, and environmental challenges. Aplethora of factors, such as a student’s socioeconomic status, can have a significant impact on their academic performance. Few studies, however, focus on the impact of psychosocial factors on the academic performance of students. To highlight the impact of psychosocial factors, such as factors that assist or hinder students academically, a study was conducted using a qualitative, exploratory research design. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems framework was employed to allow for the exploration of how students’ interactions with various environments influences their decisions and their academic performance.