Effect of adolescent mental model on bullying behaviour, among Junior Secondary School student in Lagos Mainland

Abstract

Problem behaviour such as bullying has been studied by various researchers through various methods and in various ways. However, not  enough attention is yet given to the adolescent mental model as relating to bullying behaviour, especially as relates to cognitive  conflict, in form of distortion in the brain, which affects adolescent-bullying behaviour. This study therefore examines the effect of  adolescent mental model on bullying behaviour among junior secondary schools in Lagos Main Land. Four Hypothesis were formulated  to guide the study. The research design used for this research work was descriptive research survey design. . The population is all junior  secondary school (J.S.S. II). Simple random sampling technique was used for this study. Atotal of two hundred (200) students were  randomly selected for the study. The statistical tests used were the descriptive analysis involving the percentage and the inferential  analysis involving t-test, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson- product moment correlational coefficient test. This was employed to  test the null hypotheses at 0.5% level of significance for data analysis. The result showed that there is an effect of mental model on  adolescents' bullying behaviour. It also showed that there exists relationship between family background and adolescent's mental model  which may result to bullying behaviour. Adolescent- students who involve in bullying behaviour have experienced cognitive  distortion due to negative environmental situations. One of the recommendation is that parents and the community agencies should  encourage the formation of desirable behaviour, frown at and discipline any undesirable, so that adolescents will avoid them, knowing  that this behaviour is unacceptable in the community where they belong.