Effect of Schema Therapy and Assertiveness Training on Avoidant Personality Traits Among Secondary School Students in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria: A Quasi- Experimental Study

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of Schema Therapy and Assertiveness Training on avoidant personality traits among secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. Avoidant personality traits—including social withdrawal, fear of rejection, and low self-worth—often interfere with students’ academic performance and peer relationships, yet they are rarely addressed through structured psychological interventions in Nigerian school settings. A quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test control group design was adopted. A sample of 36 students (identified through behavioural screening as exhibiting avoidant personality traits) was selected from three public secondary schools across the FCT. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Schema Therapy (n = 12), Assertiveness Training (n = 12), or a control group (n = 12). Intervention lasted for 8 weeks, delivered once weekly by trained counselling psychologists. The Avoidant Personality Trait Scale (APTS) was used to collect data pre- and post-intervention. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to assess treatment effects, with pre-test scores used as covariates. Findings showed that both Schema Therapy and Assertiveness Training had a statistically significant effect in reducing avoidant personality traits, with Assertiveness Training producing a slightly greater reduction. The study concludes that both interventions are effective school-based tools for reducing avoidance behaviours and promoting social confidence in adolescents. It is recommended that mental health programs in Nigerian schools integrate these interventions to improve students’ emotional and social well-being.