EFFECTIVENESS OF PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL INTERVENTION THERAPY ON DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY OF OUT-OF SCHOOL-CHILDREN IN SULEJA NIGER STATE

Abstract

Stressors such as depression and anxiety are expected reactions of out-of school children. The study intervened with the use of Psycho-Emotional Intervention Therapy (PEIT) for its effectiveness on depression and anxiety of out-of-school children (OOSC) in Suleja LGA in Niger State. The study employed quasi experimental research design. The population of the study consists of all out-of school children in Suleja LGA in Niger State. Two purposes, research questions and hypotheses guided this study. The sample size consists of 35 OOSC drawn from three (3) out-of-school children centers purposively sampled in Suleja LGA in Niger State. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) were the instruments used for data collection. Data were analyzed using means and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings indicates that Psycho-Emotional Intervention Therapy (PEIT) significantly affected depressive and anxiety behaviours positively leading to a change of behaviours. It is recommended that Psycho-Emotional Intervention Therapy (PEIT) should be employed in all out-of school children centers in Nigeria and in the world as intervention and corrective mechanism to depression and anxiety problem behaviours among out-of-school children centers to enhance positive behaviours and effective teaching and learning