OUTCOME OF BRAINSTORMING COUNSELLING METHODS ON LOW SELF ESTEEM AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL LEARNERS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of brainstorming counselling technique on low self-esteem of secondary school students in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. The quasi experimental, pre-test, post-test control design guided the study. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated. The population of the study comprised all the JSS III students in the two randomly selected public schools in Kaduna North Local Government Area. The sample was made up of 24 respondents who were assigned to two groups: treatment group with Brainstorming Counselling Technique (BCT) and the control group. Purposive sampling was used in selecting students with low self-esteem for this research. The instrument used to measure the self-esteem of students was Rosenberg Selfesteem Scale Questionnaire developed by Rosenberg (1965), and this was given to all the students and those that scored less than ten (10) constitute the subjects for this study. Data were analysed using percentages, mean, standard deviation and t-test. The results showed that there is significant effect of BCT on low self-esteem among secondary school students exposed to brainstorming treatment compared to the control group (t= 3.78, p= 0.000); there is significant effect of BCT on self-esteem level among male and female respondents in the treatment group (t= 2.12, p= 0.00); male respondents were found to have higher self-esteem. There is significant effect of BCT on self-esteem level among respondents of different age bracket in the treatment group (t= 2.94,  p = .000); respondents in upper age bracket were found to have higher selfesteem. Based on these findings, the study recommends among other things that school psychologists and counsellors adopt brainstorming counselling technique as a corrective measures in improving the self-esteem of secondary school students; it was recommended that more attention should be paid to the secondary school girls as well as the adolescents in their early teens as they are more proned to low self-esteem and that school and the classroom teachers should take a critical self-esteem assessment of the students from time to time (periodically) as they grow up with the use of RSE Scale to discover those students with selfesteem problems promptly and possibly apply brainstorming technique to solve their problems.

 

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the study

A healthy sense of self can make a profound difference in how an individual feels and functions. Self-esteem is the basic sense of worth or value. Self-esteem means self-respect, a sense of self-worth, a feeling of basic goodness about oneself. Low selfesteem can mean constant self-doubt and self-criticism, social anxiety and isolation, suppressed anger, loneliness, and even shame. The importance of finding a way to improve self esteem in adolescents cannot be over emphasized considering the fact that they are the future leaders of this country and that self-esteem corresponds with emotional and psychological development, which can affect an adolescent in a positive or negative way. An important factor in handling different challenges encountered in adolescence is a positive self-concept and high self-esteem.  Hamarta (2004) stated that self esteem is an important factor in directing behavior throughout the various aspects

of life.

A number of emotional problems and antisocial behaviours are being found among adolescents in secondary schools in Nigeria and reported daily in mass media. Such emotional and behavioural problems ranges from dysphoric emotions, anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicidal tendencies, unsafe sex, teenage pregnancy, bullying, aggression, eating disorders, criminal behaviours, abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and membership in deviant groups. These emotional problems and antisocial behaviours have been closely linked with low self esteem. Delinquent behavior in psychological term is an ego defense against external threats to self esteem (Freud, 1946). Donnellan, Trzesniewski, Robins & Caspi (2005) found a robust relationship between low self esteem and aggression, antisocial behavior and delinquency.

Research on adolescent psychological and social development demonstrates that self-esteem plays a vital role in the well-being of young people by mediating the relations between stress and psychological adjustment (Kristjansson, Sigfusdottir, & Allegrante 2001). As a social psychological construct, self-esteem is attractive because researchers have conceptualized it as an influential predictor of relevant outcomes, such as academic achievement (Marsh, 2000) and exercise behavior (Hagger, 2008). In addition, self-esteem has also been treated as an important outcome due to its close relation with psychological well-being (Marsh, 1990). Self-esteem is a term used to reflect someone’s overall emotional evaluation of his or her own worth. It is a judgment of oneself as well as an attitude toward the self.  Smith and Mackie (2007) defined selfesteem as the positive or negative evaluations of the self.

Low self esteem is a great challenge to adolescents in Nigeria and elsewhere because adolescence is a period in the life of a person when self esteem is known to fluctuate significantly. According to Jones & Meredith (2000), it is estimated that up to a half of adolescents will struggle with low self esteem, many of these occur during the early teen years. It is generally considered to be a time of increased mental problems and decreased psychological well-being and self-esteem (Mental Health Foundation, 1999; Jones & Meredith, 2000).

Some studies on various methods of improving self esteem have reported favorable outcome with cognitive behavior therapy, group narrative therapy, adventure therapy and animal assisted play therapy. However, there is paucity of research studies focused on the use of brainstorming counseling technique in improving self esteem. Hence, the rationale of this research is to investigate the effect of brainstorming counseling technique on self esteem among secondary school students.

One way by which school counselors can help promote high self esteem among adolescents in secondary school may be through the use of brainstorming counseling technique for those adolescents observed to manifest features of low self esteem. Brainstorming is a group creativity technique used to generate a list of ideas to solve a specific problem. In brainstorming technique, a problem is posed and students are encouraged to find as many different solutions or answers as possible. The inventor of brainstorming, Osborn (1957) claimed that groups who brainstormed could produce solutions that were superior to the solutions that would have been obtained if each of their members had worked alone.

1.2        Statement of the Problem

The issue of low self esteem among secondary school students is a matter of concern to all stakeholders in the Nigerian secondary schools. The counselors, teachers and parents have expressed the need to examine the self esteem of adolescents with a view to addressing the problems of low self esteem. Youth with high self-esteem consider themselves worthy and equal to others. Those with low self-esteem have feelings of incompetence, worthlessness and a lack of confidence.  It can thus severely lower the quality of someone's life in all its forms. It also forms a base by which someone harbors negative and destructive tendencies and extreme emotions. These could lead to depression, suicidal tendencies, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, mental and physical disorders and other forms of self-destructive behavior.

In Nigeria, little attention is being paid to the effects of low self esteem, as mentioned above, on the psychological and emotional state of adolescents passing through various secondary schools. It is the duty of school counselors to help children who already form a negative view of themselves when they begin school to reverse this opinion, and to create in them a more positive opinion of themselves. The promotion of healthy self esteem through the use of counseling techniques will help solve most of the problems associated with low self esteem such as depression, suicidal tendencies, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, mental and physical disorders.

However, an examination of the literature on low self esteem in adolescents revealed that very little research has been conducted on the subject in Nigeria. This state of affairs limits the effort of Nigerian counselors towards helping the development of positive self esteem in Nigerian students, because sufficient local research knowledge is an important requirement if Nigerian counselors are to effectively help the development and promotion of self esteem in Nigerian students. This study, therefore, investigated the effect of brainstorming technique on self esteem among secondary school adolescents. Brainstorming technique is the process of generating ideas in a group situation based on the principles of suspending judgment, a principle which scientific research has proved to be highly productive in individual effort as well as in group. This study therefore intends to find out the effects of brainstorming counselling technique on self esteem among secondary school students.

1.3        Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are:

1. To find out the effects of brainstorming technique on low self esteem among secondary school students.
2. To examine the effects of brainstorming technique on low self esteem level among males and females secondary school students.
3. To examine the effects of brainstorming technique on low self esteem level among secondary school students of different age bracket.

1.4        Research Questions

The research questions of the study are:

1. What is the effects of brainstorming technique on low self esteem among secondary school students.
2. What is the effects of brainstorming technique on low self esteem level among males and females secondary school students.
3. What is the effects of brainstorming technique on low self esteem level among secondary school students of different age bracket.

1.5        Hypotheses

The hypotheses of the study are:

1. There is no significant effect of brainstorming counselling technique on low self esteem among secondary school students.
2. There is no significant effect of brainstorming counselling technique on low self esteem level among male and female secondary school students.
3. There is no significant effect of brainstorming counselling technique on low self esteem level among secondary school students of different age bracket.

1.6        Basic Assumptions

The following assumptions are made:

1. Brainstorming technique may improve self esteem of students in secondary schools.
2. The effect of Brainstorming technique on low self esteem of students in secondary school may be sex differentiated.
3. The effect of Brainstorming technique on low self esteem of students in secondary school may be age differentiated. (between upper & lower Age bracket)

1.7        Significance of the study

The findings from this study will be of benefits to the following; educational authorities at all levels, school counsellors and psychologists, parents/guardians, country and students’ researchers. It is hope therefore; that:

The findings derived from this study will draw the attention of educational policy-makers at the federal, state and local level on need to appreciate the brainstorming procedure as a powerful and valuable addition to any learning program. Since brainstorming is a group procedure, school counsellors, psychologists and teachers can respond to the necessity of helping groups work better together, jointly create solutions to complex problems, and create common support for implementation of those ideas. Teachers can use the information presented here to design effective brainstorming sessions.

The research findings will be of benefit to the school, as it will assist the school to prepare students to become a comfortable part of the general population, easily adjusting to the surroundings. In addition, the school should take a critical self-esteem assessment of those students with records of delinquent behaviors and emotional problems and apply appropriate counselling technique to solve their problems.

The study findings will also be of great importance to the parents. It is a known fact that, the children grow up from home before they start school. Therefore, it is very vital for parents to recognize the need to promote self-esteem of the children even before they start school.

This study will be of benefit to the country as a whole, because the finding will expose some of the factors which are mainly responsible to low self-esteem and poor academic performance of students in the schools. This will gear up all the stakeholders not only in education sector but in all other sectors of the country to have clear understanding and awareness about the dangers inherent in low self-esteem of students.

1.8       Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study covered the effects of brainstorming counselling technique on low self-esteem of secondary school students in Kaduna North Local Government Area of

Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study was limited to two public Secondary Schools within Kaduna North Local Government Area. One of the two schools would be used for treatment while the other school for the control. The study was also limited to only JSS

III students as subjects. The study was delimited to Private Secondary Schools within

Kaduna North Local Government Area as they are not included in this study.

 

OUTCOME OF BRAINSTORMING COUNSELLING METHODS ON LOW SELF ESTEEM AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL LEARNERS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.

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