Effects of Cognitive Restructuring and Self-Control Therapy on Proneness to Maldaptive Behaviour Among Secondary School Students in Federal Capital Territory Abuja

Abstract

This study examined the effect of cognitive restructuring and self-control therapy on proneness to maladaptive behaviour among secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The study was guided by three research questions and three corresponding null hypotheses A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test post-test control group was employed. The study population comprised 61 SS2 students exhibiting symptoms of maladaptive behaviour, from which a purposive sample of 36 students (18 males, 18 females) was drawn from three public secondary schools across AMAC, Kuje, and Gwagwalada. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: cognitive restructuring (n=9), self-control therapy (n=9), and control (n=18). The intervention lasted 12 weeks.. The Maladaptive Behaviour Scale Checklist, adapted from the DSM framework, was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean scores to answer research questions and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance, adjusting for pre-test scores. Findings revealed that both cognitive restructuring and self-control therapy significantly reduced proneness to maladaptive behaviour, with self-control therapy showing greater efficacy. The study supports the integration of structured cognitive-behavioural interventions into school counselling programs as a viable means to address adolescent behavioural challenges and improve emotional regulation among students.