Assessment And Management Of Shyness Using Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Among Selected Nigerian Adolescents.

Abstract

Shyness is a term that is often used to describe discomfort people feel in social situations. It does not only describe a feeling state rather characteristics of some individuals that have hindered them from achieving their potentials. This condition has been found to be more among adolescents and it ranges from mild, moderate to severe levels with the impact debilitating to self-development. Yet due attention has not been paid to studying this condition. This study assessed shyness in adolescents and managed it using group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) among those with high level of it. The participants were 240 secondary school students comprising 120 males and 120 females, aged between 10 and 19 years (Mean = 14.63, SD = 2.47) selected using stratified random sampling from a private secondary school in Lagos. Shyness Scale 34 (SS-34) was administered to them and 36 of them whose scores indicate high level of shyness were identified. They were then divided into 2 groups of treatment and control using odd-even random assignment. While the treatment group was subjected to 10 sessions of group CBT, nothing was done to the control group. Employing a pretest-posttest design, Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the data. The result shows that after adjusting for pretest scores, there was a significant effect of the between subjects factor groups, F (1, 33) = 47.70, p < .00, partial η² = .59. Adjusted mean recognition scores suggest that group cognitive behavioural therapy lowered the level of shyness significantly thereby making it a useful technique in the management of shyness. The result was discussed in the light of the need to assess and manage shyness in adolescent toward empowering them to realize their potentials.