PARENTAL REJECTION AND SELF-ESTEEM AS PREDICTORS OF ADJUSTMENT DISORDER AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN YABA, LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper investigates the predictive influence of perceived parental rejection and self-esteem on adjustment disorder among university students in Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Grounded in Attachment Theory and Social Learning Theory, the paper examines how early parental experiences and self-perceptions shape students’ emotional adjustment during the university phase. Employing a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from a sample of 357 full-time undergraduate students drawn from the University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology, and St. Augustine’s University of Education through proportionate stratified random sampling. Standardized instruments were utilized: the Adjustment Disorder Scale (Israel, 2016), Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (Rohner & Khaleque, 2005), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), all of which demonstrated strong internal reliability (α > .80). Data analysis using simple and multiple regression revealed that perceived parental rejection significantly predicted adjustment disorder (β = –.346, p < .001), while self-esteem also predicted adjustment disorder, albeit with a modest effect (β = .142, p = .007). These findings affirm that negative parental experiences and fragile self-concepts contribute substantially to emotional maladjustment among university students. The results align with Attachment Theory, which links early rejection to insecure relational patterns, and Social Learning Theory, which emphasizes learned self-perception and coping responses. The paper concludes that fostering parental warmth, emotional support, and authentic self-esteem  development can mitigate adjustment difficulties and promote mental well-being among Nigerian undergraduates.