The Effectiveness of two Counselling Strategies on Youth Attitude towards Street-Begging in a Destitute Centre in Lagos.

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of two behaviour modification strategies: the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) and the Social Learning Theory (SLT) on Youth attitude towards street-begging in a destitute centre in Lagos metropolis. The participants in the study comprised 120 able bodied destitute and street beggars, made up of 65 young men and women between the ages of 18 and 30, who were randomly selected in a destitute centre in Lagos metropolis. The instruments used for the study are: (1) the Behaviour Assessment Scale (BAS), (2) the Beggar's Predictor Scale (BPS) and (3) the Internal Control Index (ICI). The research design used for this study is the quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test control group design. The hypotheses were formulated, tested and the significant difference of the pre and post-test attitudes of the respondents were determined. The analyses of data were done using a 2x3 Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), using the BAS, BPS and ICI pre-test scores as covariate. Protected t-test analyses were done to determine which of the treatment methods was more effective. The results revealed a significant difference in the post-test scores on the perception of street begging by the street-beggars there was however no significant difference in the post-test scores of the Beggar's Predictor Scale and the Internal Control Index. As a result of the above findings, some recommendations were made which include the need for psychological and mental re-orientation of the destitute and street-beggars by trained counsellors. The emphasis should be on cognitive restructuring to help in changing previous irrational thoughts and behaviours of participants. This study highlighted the attitude of youth between the ages of 18 and 30 to street-begging. Participants are able bodied destitute and street beggars who see street begging as a vocation due to poverty, culture and religion. Counselling strategies that can be employed to address this problem were highlighted. Through these strategies, youths can be helped to cultivate rational philosophy of life, assisted to develop new responses to situations and maintain the new responses.