EFFICACY OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY ON THE REDUCTION OF DEPRESSION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IKPOBA-OKHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT : This study sought to investigate the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy on the reductionof depression among secondary school students in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. To guidethe study, four research questions were raised and their corresponding hypotheses formulated. The researchquestions were answered while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance. Two researchdesigns were used for the study. The first was the descriptive survey, which was used to collect the baselinedata. The second design was a pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group quasi- experimental design usedfor the study. The population of the study consisted of all the public mixed Senior Secondary 11 students inIkpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State with counsellors and the sample used for the studycomprised 98 students with high level of depression discovered with the use of the instrument to collect thebaseline data. The instrument for data collection for the study was a questionnaire titled Adolescent DepressionScales (ADS), validated by two experts, with reliability index of 0.79. during treatment procedures, the twogroups were pretested, the experimental group was exposed to Cognitive behavioural therapy while the controlgroup was not exposed to any treatment and after treatment administration, both groups were post tested and thefinding, among others, showed that there is a significant difference in the level of depression of adolescents inthe experimental (those exposed to CBT) and control groups after treatment among secondary school students inIkpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State as there was a great decrease in the depression level of theexperimental group as a result of the treatment administered. Based on the findings therefore, it is recommendedthat counsellors should employ cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of depression so to enablestudents to achieve their maximum potential in life.

KEYWORDS: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Depression, Experimental Group, Control group andCounselling