Predictive Power of Study Skills on Concentration among University Students: Evidence from a Ghanaian Context

Abstract

Study skills are vital for academic achievement in higher education, as they help students improve and manage their learning processes. Understanding these strategies is essential for educators, policymakers, and students to develop interventions that promote effective, lifelong learning. Despite extensive research, there remains a limited understanding of how diverse study strategies interact to influence concentration, particularly within non-Western educational settings like Ghana, where students often rely on rote memorisation and surface learning approaches. Guided by Self-Regulated Learning theory, which posits that effective study skills and concentration stem from cyclical processes of forethought, performance, and self-reflection, this cross-sectional study examined the multidimensional structure of study skills and their ability to predict students’ concentration. Data were gathered from 273 Level 400 students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, using the Study Skills Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported a seven-factor model- Concentration, Information Processing, Motivation and Attitude, Study Aid/Note-taking, Time Management, Test Strategies, and Writing Skills. Hierarchical regression showed that Time Management, Study Aid/Note-taking, and Information Processing were significant predictors of concentration, collectively explaining over half of its variance. Test Strategies, Motivation and Attitude, and Writing Skills were not significant. These findings emphasise the importance of organisational and cognitive strategies in maintaining attention during learning. They have implications for higher education teaching, especially the development of targeted workshops on time management, note-taking, and deep information processing, to foster enhanced student engagement and academic success. The limitations of the cross-sectional and self-report methods are acknowledged, with suggestions for future longitudinal and experimental research.