ABSTRACT

This study sought to explore the relative effectiveness of multi-modal therapy and self-control techniques on the management of aggressive behaviour among in-school adolescents in Abia State. Eight research questions and eight null hypotheses guided the study. The  study adopted a quasi-experimental design employing the pretest, posttest, non-randomized control group design with a 4x2x2 factorial matrix. The sample of the study consisted of 120 in-school adolescents, and they were purposefully selected from 1,327 (Males 616 and Females 711) who manifested aggressive behaviours in the 186 public secondary schools in the state. These comprised 30 students each for multi-modal therapy, self-control techniques, combination of multi-modal therapy with self-control and control groups respectively.  The study equally adopted multi-stage sampling techniques. The instrument used for data collection were a 30-item questionnaire titled “Aggressive Behaviour Questionnaire” and another 30-item Personality types A/B questionnaire”. The instruments were validated by three experts, one each from Guidance and Counselling, Psychology and Measurement and Evaluation, from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Test of reliability for the internal consistency of   all the instruments were measured using Cronbach Alpha and the results indicated index values of 0.812, 0.728, 0.773 and 0.832 respectively. Data were collected in the three phases of pre-treatment, treatment and follow-up periods. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that: Intervention using multi-modal therapy (MMT), Self-control techniques and the combination of multi-modal therapy and self-control techniques respectively reduced aggressive behaviours of in-school adolescents at posttest; the treatment using multi-modal  therapy had greater effect than treatment using self-control techniques; the treatment using multi-modal  therapy and self-control techniques had greater effect on the Type B in-school adolescents than the Type A in-school adolescents; male and female in-school adolescents with aggressive behaviour exposed to multi-modal therapy and self-control techniques did not differ significantly in the reduction of their aggressive behaviour; in-school adolescents exposed to the combined treatment using multi-modal  therapy and self-control techniques maintained their treatment gains after six weeks follow-up period; and the treatment gains made by in-school adolescents with aggressive behaviour who were exposed to either multi-modal therapy or self-control techniques equally were maintained after six weeks follow-up period. Among the educational implications of the study was that reduction of aggressive behaviour of in-school adolescents depends on exposure to multi-modal therapy and self-control techniques. It was thus recommended that school counsellors who have some identified students with aggressive behaviours in their schools, should effectively use multi-modal therapy and self-control techniques in reducing their aggressive behaviour.