Efficacy of group counselling interventions (positive reinforcement and self control techniques) in remedying truancy among school-going adolescents in Ilorin, Nnigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of positive reinforcement and self- control techniques in remedying truancy among school-going adolescents in Ilorin. The design was a pre-test, post-test control group quasi-experimental design. The sample consisted of 30 truants aged 14 to 16 years. Different types of researcher- developed instruments were used at the pretest, post test and follow-up periods for identifying the truants and testing the effectiveness of the treatment conditions. Data collected were analysed with ANCOVA and Scheffé test. When the treatment groups were compared with the control group, those in the treatment groups reported less truancy behaviour traits than their counterparts in the control group. Lack of behavioural effect on the control group could be linked to differential quality of delivery of intervention. Based on this finding, it was recommended that group counselling be made a regular feature in the execution of teaching-learning processes in secondary schools curricula in Nigeria.

Key-words: Truancy, school-going adolescents, positive reinforcement, self-control, Nigeria