Effect of Self-instruction on Bullying Tendency among Secondary School Students in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State

Aims: This study focused on the effect of self-instruction on bullying tendency among secondary school students in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The study specifically determined the effect of self-instruction technique on bullying tendency among secondary school students, difference in the effects of self-instruction technique on bullying tendency of male and female secondary school students.&#x0D; Study Design: The design for this study is the quasi-experimental research design (pre-test, post-test, non-randomized control group). The study adopted the non-randomized pre-test, post-test control group design.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Secondary school students in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria, between June 2021 and January 2022.&#x0D; Methodology: The population consists of 329 students in JS2 and SS2 in all the secondary schools from all the co-educational schools in Nnewi-North LGA having high level of bullying tendency. The sample for this study comprised 108 JS2 and SS2 secondary school students that were identified with high bullying tendency, drawn using purposive sampling techniques. The two schools with the highest number of students with high bullying tendency using the pre-test scores were adopted for the study. One school served as experimental group 1 and the second school served as control group for the study. The instrument for data collection was an already established Students Bullying Tendency Questionnaire developed. The SBTQ total score range from 20-80 with higher level of bullying tendency. Bullying scale reads; strongly agree =(SA) 4points, agree (A)=3 points, disagree(D)= 2 points and strongly disagree (SD)=1. The instrument used the Pearson product moment statistical technique to obtain a co-efficient of reliability of 0.89. The researcher administered copies of the bullying tendency questionnaire through direct delivery method to all JS2 and SS2 students to complete. The administered instrument after collection will be scored in line with the instrument scoring guide and analyze using Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA). The data which relates to the research questions was analyzed using mean, while data relating to the null hypothesis was analyze using ANCOVA. Scores that are above the norm 47.77 for males and 47.77 for female while those scores below show no bullying tendency behaviour.&#x0D; Results: The study revealed that the post-test mean score of 35.82 which is below the norm of 47.57 self-instruction technique is effective in reducing bullying tendency among secondary school students. More so, a lost mean score of 20.43 for females which is greater than lost mean score of 15.26 for males, self-instruction is more effective in reducing female secondary school students’ bullying tendency. The findings of this study further revealed that the effect of self-instruction technique on the bullying tendency of secondary school students is significant. Similarly, the effectiveness of self-instruction technique on bullying tendency of male and female secondary school students differ significantly.&#x0D; Conclusion: It was concluded that, secondary school students with bullying tendency exposed to self-instruction technique had a significant reduction in their bullying tendency hence self-instruction is effective.