Effect of Cognitive Restructuring Technique on Poor Study Behaviour Among Public Secondary Students in Awka-South Local Government Area

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of cognitive restructuring technique on the poor study behaviour of public secondary school students in Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design involving a non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design. Four research questions guided the study, while four null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The population comprised 2,400 Senior Secondary one (SSI) and Senior Secondary two (SSII) students from 15 co-educational public secondary schools in Awka South Local Government Area. A sample of 67 students identified as having poor study behaviour was selected purposively. Data were collected using the Study Behaviour Inventory (SBI) developed by Akinboye (1977). The instrument, being standardized, was not subjected to face and content validation. However, its internal consistency reliability coefficient of 0.874, established by Ilo, Nwankwo and Unachukwu (2020), was adopted for the study. Data were collected through the direct administration method. Mean scores were used to answer the research questions, while the null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The norm score of 74 served as the decision benchmark for identifying students with poor study behaviour. Participants in the experimental group received cognitive restructuring treatment, whereas those in the control group received conventional counselling. The finding revealed that cognitive restructuring technique was effective in reducing poor study behaviour and significantly enhanced the study behaviour of secondary school students. Based on the finding, it was recommended that school counsellors should integrate cognitive restructuring technique into school counselling programmes to address poor study behaviour among students. Counsellors should also assist students in identifying and challenging irrational thoughts, developing positive thinking patterns, and adopting effective study behaviour. Furthermore, schools should promote cognitive behavioural interventions and other evidence-based counselling strategies to improve students' study behaviour and academic success.