EFFECT OF COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING ON DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR AMONG ADOLESCENTS

(A CASE STUDY OF BORSTAL TRAINING INSTITUTE, BARNAWA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA)

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Author

Presented To

Department of Education

ABSTRACT
This study investigated the effect of cognitive restructuring on Delinquent Behaviour among adolescents in Borstal training Institute, Barnawa, Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study employed a quasi experimental, non-equivalent control group, pre-test-post-test design. The population of the study was 364 inmates out of which 40 inmates were purposively sampled and used for the study. The instruments used for Data Collection was Conduct Disorder Scale (CDS) and Inmates Therapeutic Technique Questionnaire (ITTQ). Research question and hypotheses were analysed using mean, standard deviation and t-test. These hypotheses where drawn for this study and the findings reveal that significant difference exist between those in the experimental and control group in their aggressive (P=0.05, t=1.96), Hostility (P=0.30, t=1.96) and theft delinquent behaviour (P=0.000, t=1.96) after exposure to cognitive restructuring treatment technique respectively. It was recommended among others that psychologist and those in the helping profession be encouraged to use cognitive restructuring technique to serve as corrective measures for delinquent adolescents. The study will serve as a reference point for parents, teachers, owners of delinquent homes and the government.