EFFECT OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY AND SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ANGER IN JALINGO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF TARABA STATE.

Abstract

The current study examined the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) combined with social skills training in managing anger among secondary school students in Jalingo Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. Two objectives were established to guide the study, along with two null hypotheses tested at the 0.05 level of significance. A one-group, pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design was employed. One public secondary school from the Jalingo L.G.A. was purposively selected, targeting 50 SS II students identified as exhibiting angry behaviour. From this population, a purposive sample of 23 SS II students, comprising 8 males and 15 females, was selected. Data were collected using Spielberger’s State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), a 44-item instrument with a Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.84. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to answer the research questions, while the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was employed to test the hypotheses. Based on the data collected and analyzed, the following key findings emerged: The reduction in mean anger scores from the pre-test to the post-test for both genders suggests that the intervention effectively reduced anger levels. The intervention appears to have effectively reduced anger scores in both genders, with a slightly greater reduction observed among females. Based on the findings of this study, the following are recommended, among others: (i) Educational authorities in Taraba State and Nigeria at large should integrate cognitive behavioural therapy and social skills training into the guidance and counselling services of secondary schools to address anger-related behaviours. (ii) Schools should implement screening mechanisms to identify students at risk of anger and aggressive behaviours early and provide targeted cognitive behavioural therapy and social skills training-based interventions. In conclusion, the integration of cognitive behavioural therapy and social skills training offers a holistic approach to emotional regulation, blending cognitive restructuring with social behaviour enhancement. Thus, combined cognitive behavioural therapy and social skills training should be considered a viable tool in addressing emotional and behavioural challenges among students within Nigerian secondary schools.