The Effectiveness of Two Psycho-Social Behavioural Interventions on Adolescents' Bullying Behaviour among Nigerian Adolescents

Abstract:

Bullying constitutes a significant threat to the mental, social and physical wellbeing of school children. As an old phenomenon and worldwide problem, it has defied several efforts to curb it. This study examined the influence of class types and religions on the effects of Contingency Management and Cognitive self-instruction on bullying behaviour among secondary school students in Ogun state, Nigeria. The population for the study consisted of bullies in public secondary schools in Nigeria schools. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select three schools while purposive sampling was used to select the participants. The study adopted a 3x2x2 pre-test and post test experimental research design consisting of two treatment groups and one control group.  Each of this group has 40 participants each, while six participants did not complete the study.   Adolescent Peer Relation Inventory (APRI) was the instrument used for data collection and a total number of one hundred and fourteen students fully participated. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyse the three hypotheses formulated at the 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed a significant effect of Cognitive self-instruction, Contingency Management on bullying behaviour (F₂, ₁₀₁ = 6.444: p<0.05). Cognitive self "“ instruction was found to be more effective (MD = 7.754) than Contingency Management (MD = 5.503).The study also revealed that the combination of class type and religions of the students did not interact with the effect of the two treatments (F_(2,101) = 2.379; p > 0.05) did not affect bullying behaviour. Lastly, religion and class type collectively (F_(1,101) = .0.04; p > 0.05) did not affect bullying behaviour. Based on these findings, it was recommended that psychologists, counsellors, parents, teachers and social workers should use these treatment packages in controlling bullying behaviour among secondary schools students. Also, the government should sponsor seminars/workshops for school counsellors and educational psychologists on how to use Cognitive self-instruction and Contingency Management techniques in controlling bullying behaviour. Finally, government can make a policy that each school (Private and Public) should have a counsellor in the school so as to check it among students.