Effectiveness of Reality Therapy in the Treatment of Bullying among Adolescents in Owerri North, Imo State, Nigeria

Aims: This study aimed at treating bullying behaviours among adolescents using reality therapy. It also investigated age as a factor in treatment outcome. Considering the prevalence of bullying among adolescents and the link between bullying in adolescence and violent behaviours like rape in adulthood this study was conducted.

Study Design: It adopted a pre-test and post-test repeated measures design.

Place and Duration of Study: The study participants were selected from junior and senior Secondary sections of Comprehensive Secondary School Amakohia, in Uratta, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. The study lasted for two (2) months of two counselling sessions per week.

Methodology: Thirty (30) participants (15males and 15 females) within the age bracket of 13-17 years, mean age of 15.03 and standard deviation (SD) of 1.30 were selected for the study using purposive sampling technique. Two hypotheses were stated and tested. Questionnaire was shared to selected students to assess the nature and frequency of their bullying behaviour (pre-test), after which sixteen (16) sessions of reality therapy were conducted before the post-test using the same questionnaire.

Results: At the significant level of P < .001 a clear difference was noticed in the rate of bullying between pre-test (m = 31.63) and post-test (m = 11.47) of bullies as shown in the result (t (29) = 31.09, P < .001). The mean scores of age groups did not differ significantly at the pre- test (Age >= 15, M = 31.53; Age < 15, M = 31.82) and post-test (Age >= 15, M = 11.26; Age < 15, M = 11.82) no significant difference was found in treatment outcome as shown in the result (t (28) = -.39, P > .05).

Conclusion: This study concluded that reality therapy should be adopted in the management of bullying behaviour among young and old adolescents.