The Predictive Capacity of Cognitive Dissonance for Academic Achievement among Third-Year Secondary School StudentsA Field Study at Sheikh Amoud High School – Tamanrasset

Abstract

    This study investigates the relationship between cognitive dissonance and academic achievement and examines the extent to which cognitive dissonance functions as a predictive variable for academic performance among third-year secondary school students. The research was conducted at Sheikh Amoud High School in Tamanrasset, employing a sample of 112 male and female students drawn through stratified random sampling during the 2025/2026 academic year. A cognitive dissonance scale, purpose-built by the researcher, was administered, while first-semester grade point averages served as the operationalized indicator of academic achievement. The analysis yielded a statistically significant inverse correlation between cognitive dissonance and academic achievement (r = -0.46, p < 0.01). Cognitive dissonance accounted for 21.3% of the variance in academic achievement, substantiating its role as a moderate but meaningful predictor. The study advocates the design of targeted counselling interventions aimed at mitigating cognitive dissonance, thereby fostering conditions more conducive to enhanced academic performance.