EFFECTS OF DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOURAL AND REALITY THERAPIES IN ENHANCING UNCONDITIONAL SELF-ACCEPTANCE AMONG IN-SCHOOL EARLY ADOLESCENTS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Unconditional self-acceptance (USA), self-accepting non-judgmentally/external validation, is critical to promoting psychological well-being and wholesomeness among early adolescents. Reports have revealed prevalence of low USA among in-school early adolescents, including those in Lagos State, Nigeria. This study, aimed at determining the effects of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Reality Therapy (RT) in enhancing USA among in-school early adolescents in Lagos State, Nigeria.  This study adopted pretest-posttest, control group quasi-experimental design of 3x2x3 factorial matrix. Three local government areas (LGAs) were selected from the twenty LGAs in the state and 3 schools were selected from the chosen LGAs.132 in-school early adolescents were screened using the USA Questionnaire- Short Form (α=0.82) and 71 in-school early adolescents that scored 0-20 in the screening participated in the study. The schools were assigned to treatments: DBT (25), RT (21) and Control (25) groups. USA Questionnaire (α=0.87), Peer Influence Scale (α=0.89) and intervention guide were used. The treatment lasted eight (8) weeks. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA at 0.05 alpha. Results revealed significant main effects of treatments in enhancing USA among in-school early adolescents. DBT participants performed best followed by RT and control group participants. There weren’t significant main effects of gender and peer influence; interaction effects of treatment and gender, treatment and peer influence and gender on USA; three-way interaction effect of treatment, gender and peer influence on USA among the participants. Counselling psychologists and school management should incorporate these interventions into their treatments to improve USA among in-school early adolescents.

Keywords:   Dialectical behaviour therapy,   In-school early adolescents in Lagos state, Peer influence, Realitytherapy, Unconditional Self-acceptance,