The Presenting the Relationship Model of Perceived Social Support and Communication Skills with the Academic Achievement of Secondary School Female Students
International Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences,
Vol. 12 No. 4 (2025),
20 December 2025
,
Page 25-34
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijabs.v12i4.50280
Abstract
Background and Aim: This study investigates the relationship model of perceived social support and communication skills with academic achievement among female secondary school students in Damghan city. Recognizing academic achievement as a pivotal indicator of educational effectiveness and societal growth, the research focuses on how social and communicative factors contribute to students’ success.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive-correlational design was employed with a sample of 265 female students selected via multi-stage cluster random sampling in the academic year 2022-2023. Data were collected using validated questionnaires: The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Barton’s Communication Skills Questionnaire, and students’ GPA records.
Results: Findings reveal significant positive correlations between perceived social support and academic achievement (r = 0.256, p < 0.01). Similarly, all dimensions of communication skills—feedback, verbal, and listening skills—showed significant positive associations with academic outcomes, with feedback skills exhibiting the strongest correlation (r = 0.382, p < 0.01). Furthermore, perceived social support correlated positively with communication skills indicators, highlighting a reciprocal relationship. Structural equation modeling confirmed the proposed model’s acceptable fit (RMSEA=0.098; CFI=0.873; GFI=0.907), demonstrating that perceived social support directly influences academic achievement and indirectly affects it through communication skills. These results align with contemporary international research underscoring the mediating role of self-efficacy and psychological resources in translating social support into academic success.
Conclusion: The study emphasizes the necessity of fostering supportive social networks alongside enhancing communication competencies to promote educational achievement among female adolescents. Educational stakeholders should consider integrated interventions that build relational support systems and communicative capacity, ultimately boosting students’ motivation, engagement, and academic performance. This research enriches the understanding of social-cognitive dynamics in academic achievement and provides practical recommendations for policy and educational programming aimed at optimizing female students’ scholastic outcomes.
- Academic achievement; Perceived social support; Communication skills; Female Secondary students; Educational psychology
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References
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