Differential Effectiveness of Cognitive Self Instruction and Contigency Management on Peer Victimization of Secondary Students in Nigeria. Implication to School. Management and Counselling

Violence cuts across generations. It affects every segment of the society and it is particularly common among school-going adolescents. Peer victimization is an important aspect of behavioural problem which makes students to be afraid of going to school and inhibits their learning potentials. It is a serious problem for school age children and for which they receive limited adult help. This study examined the differential effectiveness of cognitive self-instruction and contingency management on peer victimization among Secondary School Students in Ogun State, Nigeria. It was moderated by gender.

Public Secondary school students in Ogun state who exhibit peer victimization were used as population. Three schools were selected using stratified random sampling technique, while purposive sampling was used to select the participants from the counsellors’ records in each of the schools. The study adopted pre-test, post-test and control group quasi experimental research design using 3x2 factorial matrix. Each of these groups had 40 participants expected in the group making up to a total of 120. Two hypotheses were formulated and data was collection for both pre and post-test using Adolescent Peer Relation Inventory (APRI). data was analysed at the 0.05 level of significance using Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) statistic.

Result reveals that both Cognitive Self-instruction and Contingency Management were significant to bullying behaviour. Cognitive Self – instruction was more effective than Contingency Management. (Mean Deviation = 5.503). Also, there was no significant difference in the effect of gender (F (1,101) = .121; p > 0.05) on the secondary school students bullying behaviour.

Sequel to these findings, it was recommended Cognitive Self-instruction could be used in preference to Contingency Management to control bullying behaviour. Also, psychologists, counsellors, parents, teachers and social workers could use these treatment packages in controlling bullying behaviour among secondary schools students. Finally, the packages can be used without any bias to gender.