Self-Regulation as A Correlates Of Problem-Solving Skills among University Undergraduates in Southwestern, Nigeria

The study investigated the problem-solving skills of the undergraduates in Southwestern Nigeria. It also ascertained the relationship between self-regulation and problem solving skills of the students. The study also examined the level of problem solving skills and self-regulation of the undergraduates. The study also investigated the correlation between socio demographic variable (sex) and problem-solving skills of the of the students in the zone. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study population comprised 378,982 undergraduate students. The sample size was 1,442 students which were selected using multistage sampling procedure. Three states were selected out of six states in southwest using simple random sampling technique and from each of the three states; one federal, one state and one private university were selected using simple random sampling technique. From each university, two faculties were selected using simple random sampling technique and from each faculty, four departments were selected using simple random sampling technique. Two adapted instruments titled Problem-Solving Skills Questionnaire (PSQ) and Self-Regulation Scale (SRS) were used to obtain data from the undergraduate students. Data collected for the study were analysed using frequency counts, simple percentages, and Point Biserial Correlation. The results indicated that 36.1%, 31.7% and 28.1% of undergraduates in Southwestern Nigeria demonstrated low, moderate and high problem solving skills respectively. The results also showed that 35.0, 26.8 and 30.8 of undergraduates in Southwestern Nigeria demonstrated low, moderate and high self-regulation respectively. The findings of the study also revealed that there was a significant relationship between self-regulation and problem solving skills (N=1426, rpb=0.298, p ˂ 0.05). Finally, the results of the study showed that there was a significant relationship between sex and problem solving skills (N=1426, rpb = 0.130, p ˂ 0.05).