Effects Social Skills Training on Interpersonal Relationship of Senior Secondary School Students in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of social skills training on the interpersonal relationship of senior secondary school students in Lagos state. This study aimed at using social skill trainings to strengthen interpersonal relationship among senior secondary students in Lagos State. A pretest-posttest, control group, quasi-experimental design was used for this study. There are three Senatorial Districts in Lagos State out of which two public secondary schools used for the study were randomly selected. One hundred and twenty participants consisting of sixty male and sixty female, who had low interpersonal relationship were assigned to one treatment group and a control group. The instrument- Multidimensional Relationship Questionnaire (MRQ), was used to elicit responses from the participants. Two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data collected were analysed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results showed that there was a significant main effect of treatment on interpersonal relationship of adolescents in public Senior Secondary Schools. Family type had no significant effect on the interpersonal relationship of the adolescents. Findings demonstrated that the package could be used as veritable tool in equipping adolescents with necessary skills that can enhance good relationship with others in the society. Social skills’ training was recommended for use by teachers, counsellors, psychologists, parents and others.

Keywords: Interpersonal relationship, Social Skills Training, Adolescence, Family type