Peer Victimisation, Academic Disengagement, and School Dropout Intentions Among Adolescents in Borno State

This study investigates the relationships among peer victimisation, academic disengagement, and school dropout intentions among secondary school adolescents in Borno State, North East Nigeria. In the context of Borno State's post-conflict educational recovery, maintaining student retention is a critical priority. While peer victimisation has been linked to dropout in global research, its specific pathways in conflict-affected Northern Nigerian schools are poorly understood. This research employed a cross-sectional mediation design with a sample of 430 adolescents aged 13 to 19 years across eight secondary schools in Maiduguri and Biu. Peer victimisation was measured using the Multidimensional Peer Victimisation Scale, academic disengagement with the Engagement Versus Disaffection with Learning Scale, and dropout intentions through a validated single-construct scale. Structural equation modelling tested a mediation model in which academic disengagement mediates the peer victimisation-dropout intention relationship. Results confirm that academic disengagement fully mediates this pathway, with cognitive and behavioural disengagement serving as distinct mediating mechanisms. Relational victimisation demonstrated a stronger pathway to dropout intentions than physical victimisation. Teacher support moderated the peer victimisation-disengagement relationship, underscoring the protective potential of classroom relational quality. The study recommends that school retention strategies in Borno State integrate anti-bullying and student engagement components and that teachers receive training in identifying and supporting victimised students. Keywords: peer victimisation, academic disengagement, school dropout, adolescents, Borno State.