1.1 Introduction
Aggression is a serious behavioural and emotional disorder that can occur in adolescents. Adolescents with this disorder may display a pattern of disruptive and violent behaviour and have problems following rules (Hinshaw & Lee, 2003). It is not uncommon for adolescents to have behaviour-related problems at some time during their development. However, the aggression is considered to be a conduct disorder when it is long-lasting and when it violates the rights of others, when it goes against accepted norms of behaviour and disrupts the child's or family's everyday life (Hinshaw & Lee, 2003; Goldberg, 2012). Numerous factors could influence aggression among adolescents. Such include domestic violence which has been found to engender increased aggression, anxiety and ineffective social capacity among friends, family and authorities (Dodd, 2009).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Aggressive behaviors are common in institutions of learning (Shekarey, 2013). It has been averred that violence had become more prominent in schools in recent years such that they make headline news (Aluede, 2011). Adolescence is a period of rapid development, finding one’s real self, shaping personal values and identifying one’s vocational and social direction (Okorodudu, 2003).
The sustained increase in aggression among adolescents is worrisome to stakeholders in the education industry based on the strategic roles the schools play in the processes of socialization and modification of the citizenry. Without any doubt, teaching and learning will be most meaningful and successful in a conducive environment devoid of fear, intimidation, harassment, and insecurity. Aggression is an inappropriate behavior and has the most serious consequence for both the student and those in his or her environment (Zirpoli, 2014).
Human being progress through a series of developmental stage and each stage has its characteritics developmental tasks. Bukoye (2005) suggested that there are some tasks the adolescents must solve during this stage of development, such as a more masculine or feminine role, acceptance of his physique, and acquisition of emotional and financial independence from the significance others and advancing a social responsible a socially responsible behaviour. Adolescence is the cycle of life between the ages of 10 and 19 years (World Health Organization, 2008).
Masten et al., (2006) stated that adolescence serves as a window of opportunity to shape positive life trajectories. Adolescent stage is one crucial level of child development that require good parental, teachers and foster care. Without which many teenagers would be engaged and eventually lost in the euphoria of so many unnecessary and irrelevant activities instead of being preoccupied with their education, skill acquisition, value orientation and other domestic duties that would bequeath unto them the capacity for tomorrow’s contemporary development (Adekola et al., 2019).
The observation of Nigerian adolescents through books and less scientific and authoritative sources such as the news papers, magazine, radio, television, internet, letter, text message, hearsay, peaceful and violent demonstrations, sneaking out of school, unwholesome writing on the classrooms and toilets walls, to name a few shows that adolescents are not achieving their developmental tasks without difficulty. It is probable that many youths healthy personal growth is by omission or commission hampered. The pursuit of their personal growth by themselves, or by other people on their behalf should be a legitimate goal in the society.
Eke (2014) stated that teenagers are in the state of juvenile delinquency that makes their learning, knowledge acquisition and experiences not to be a one-off or one-time affair, but entails activities that continuously occurs during each phase or period of their development. For instance, today’s teenager would certainly become tomorrow’s parents. However, despite this reality, teenagers should not be presently concerned with how blissful or not their marriage would look like but rather be fixated or passionate about their education that would put them in the pathway towards becoming good, able and successful parents tomorrow.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effects of Cognitive Behaviour and Social Learning Therapies on Managing Adolescents Aggressiveness.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that researchers consider aggression as an antisocial and undesirable behavior which is a part of human life and manifests in different forms by individuals. This phenomenon is a serious problem among human beings and could be influenced by many factors ranging from social, cultural, personal to situational factors. Social factors that influence aggression in human beings include frustration, provocation and heightened arousal which could be as a result of exposure to media violence (Azeez et al., 2010; Baron et al., 2011).
Adolescents with behavioural disorder not only affect themselves, their families and schools negatively but also the society at large. Increase in adolescents’ behavioural disorder has led to a leap in chaos, disorderliness, destruction of lives and property, armed robbery, terrorist activities, kidnapping, oil bunkering, and many more evils. The Nigerian government established Remand Homes, Approved Schools and Juvenile Courts to address these behavioural disorders in adolescents but mere admission of the latter is not sufficient to reduce or eradicate the aggression. Aggression may also result when important goals are frustrated by others (Azeez et al., 2010).
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to investigate the Effects of Cognitive Behaviour and Social Learning Therapies on Managing Adolescents Aggressiveness. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To investigate the impact of gender, parenting style and parental socio-economic status on conduct disorder in adolescents;
- To examine the difference between participants exposed to cognitive behaviour and social learning therapies; and
- To determine the significant difference between participants in experimental groups (cognitive behaviour and social learning therapies) and control group.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Is there any difference in the degree of severity of aggression before and after treatment among participants?
- Will cognitive behaviour and social learning therapies be effective as treatment methods of aggression in adolescents?
- Will gender, parental socio-economic status and parenting style affect the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour and social learning therapies in the treatment of adolescent conduct disorder?
