A Sequential Explanatory research on Student leadership among Metro Manila university and college students

Abstract

Leadership development is a complex process. There have been various personal and environmental factors that contribute to leadership development or the attainment of leadership skills. Factors affecting leadership development among the Filipino college and university student population have not yet been studied. This study investigated the influence of different factors on the development of Leadership Potential among students. A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was used to study the different factors pertinent to leadership development. The first phase involved a quantitative survey where a total of 245 participants who were tertiary education students in Metro Manila were enrolled in this study using online purposive sampling. Leadership potential (LP) was measured as a continuous ratio variable using a leadership skills-based likert-scale instrument created by the researcher. Leadership potential, personal factors, and external factors were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Independent t-test showed that leadership experience, t(243)=4.19, p<0.001; and leadership training, t(243)=3.5 had statistically significant influence on leadership potential. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze a predictive model for LP with the different personal factors taken as a set; Self-efficacy, β=0.41, t(243)=6.26) and Extraversion (β=0.20, t(243)=3.52) showed significant correlation with LP in the regression model. In terms of leadership involvement, students with higher leadership potential were more likely to be involved in student leadership (Odd Ratio=1.04, p < 0.001). For the subsequent qualitative phase, manual thematic analysis has uncovered three overarching themes regarding leadership development: (1)Social Influences affect the development of leadership potential; (2)Circumstances influence development of leadership potential; and (3)Internal or intrinsic factors influence leadership development. Future studies can further explore the factors in leadership development uncovered in the qualitative phase; future research with a larger sample size of Filipino youth is recommended in order to better investigate the predictors of leadership development.