Effect of Self-Management Technique on Social Maladjustment Among Secondary School Students in Imo State

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of self-management technique on social maladjustment among secondary school students in Imo State. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. Quasi-experimental research was adopted in carrying out the study. The population of the study was 397 JS2 and SS2 students identified with social maladjustment in all the public secondary schools in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, and the sample size was 84 students from the three sampled schools in Njaba. The sample was derived using multi-stage sampling procedure based on the number of coeducational schools that scored high on Social Adjustment Scale. The Social Adjustment Scale (SAS) was used for data collection. The instrument was reliable at 0.90 coefficient. Data relating to research questions were analyzed using statistical mean, while data relating to hypotheses were analyzed using Analysis of Co-Variance (ANCOVA). Findings from the study revealed that self-management technique was significantly effective on social maladjustment among the secondary school students. The findings also showed that self-management technique was more effective on social maladjustment among female and senior students, respectively. Finally, the findings revealed that there was no significant difference in the effectiveness of self-management technique on social maladjustment among students who participated in the experiment based on gender and class level. The researchers therefore recommended that school counsellors should be constantly trained and retrained through organized conferences, seminars and workshops on the use of self-management technique in treating clients who are socially maladjusted.