EFFECT OF COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING AND SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING ON SOCIAL PHOBIA AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KADUNA METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the Effect of Cognitive Restructuring and Social Skills Training on Social Phobia among Secondary School Students in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria. Seven (7) Objectives were set to guide this study,and Seven (7) null hypotheses were formulated and tested. Quasi-experimental design involving pre-test, post-test on two (2) experimental groups was used. The population was made up of 1742 students who exhibited symptoms of social Phobia in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria. A sample size of 40 students was selected through purposive sampling technique. An instrument tagged Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) was used for data collection. Mean, standard Deviation and t-test statistics were used to analyze data. Findings reveal that students exposed to Cognitive Restructuring (CR) had a reduced Excessive Fear of Social Interactions (p=0.000), that students exposed to Social Skills Training (SST) had a reduced Excessive Fear of Social Interactions (p=0.000), students exposed to Cognitive Restructuring (CR) had a reduced Physiological Manifestations of Social Phobia (p=0.003), students exposed to Social Skills Training (SST) had a reduced Physiological Manifestations of Social Phobia (p=0.000), students exposed to Cognitive Restructuring (CR) had a reduced Avoidance of Social Interactions (p=0.000), students exposed to Social Skills Training (SST) had a reduced Avoidance of Social Interactions (p=0.000) and that there was a significant differential effect of Cognitive Restructuring and Social Skills Training (p=0.009) on Social Phobia among secondary students. The researcher therefore concluded that Cognitive Restructuring and Social Skills Training are effective in reducing Social Phobia among secondary school students. And that Social Skills Training is more effective than cognitive Restructuring in handling Social Phobia. Based on the findings of this study it was recommended among others that Psychologists and Counsellors should be encouraged to use Cognitive Restructuring (CR) and Social Skills Training (SST) in handling Social Phobia among secondary school students so as to develop their social interactions and competency in learning.