Efficacy of Assertiveness Training Counselling Techniques on Shyness among Junior Secondary School Students in Igueben Local Government Area, Edo State.

Abstract

The study investigated the efficacy of Assertiveness Training (AT) Counselling Techniques in Handling Shyness using Students in Public Junior Secondary Schools in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to
which AT was effective in reducing shyness among secondary students. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research, design. Two hypotheses were raised to guide the study. The study population consists of all senior secondary school students in Igueben local
government, up to 1,592. A sample of 240 participants were used for the study, comprising 136 females and 104 males, using stratified and purposive random sampling. Data was collected using a self-structured scale titled; Shyness Inventory (SI) Three experts examined the instrument each for face and content validity. The instrument was administered on thirty students outside the sample of the study and Cronbach Statistics was used to analyze the data collected, and the reliability coefficient score obtained was 0.85. The Shyness Inventory (SI) was used to identify the shy students who took part in the study. The treatment intervention lasted for six weeks, with two sessions weekly lasting for forty-five (45) minutes per session. Data collected were analyzed using a paired sample t-test at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed that AT was effective in handling shyness among students in junior secondary schools in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others, counsellors and counseling psychologists should, therefore, utilize AT in handling shyness among secondary school students.