Nivel de importancia del ámbito de la gestión del aprendizaje desde la

138

commendations for a job well done. They were advised to continue to improve upon their positive activities as they consciously engage in them. Participants responded to the Evaluation Questionnaire. Light refreshment was served before asking participants to call back in three week‟s time for follow up meeting at the same venue and time.

139

corresponding response from the researcher. A sheet of paper was provided for participants to write a list of pleasant events they will like to witness or participate in the coming week.

2^nd Session

Here, participants were asked to list 4 events they consider pleasant that have taken place during the last week while they also listed 4 pleasant events they were looking forward to during the following week. The researcher asked students to relax, close their eyes and imagine the 1^st event on him/her through to the 4^th event. They were thereafter asked to voice out anticipatory statements about the pleasant events and how they will enjoy such events with the aid of guided imagery. “Thought Stopping” technique was used to stop any of them that drift off to negative thought and such were redirected back to the positive trend. As assignment, participants were to anticipate the four listed events for five minutes each at least 2 times a day-preferably morning and night as practised in session.

3^rd Session

Participants were asked to describe their feelings as to how they coped with their practices during the past week. They thereafter acted out some of these. They also listed another 4 events and anticipated their occurrence and practiced same during the coming week.

140

4^th Session

Participants were relaxed with jokes and discussions on pressing national issues during the week. Those who had taken the assignment seriously were positively reinforced. Four new pleasant events were written by each participant and they were to imagine the joyful reaction as they experience each event.

5th Session

Anticipated pleasant events that would have taken place out of those anticipated and listed by the participants were reviewed with each participants writing praises; “good” “very good” in front of such events. More practices were stressed with encouragement in the morning and evening.

6^th Session

Participants were reminded that this would be the last but one session with commendation and praises for each of them. The researcher explained the need for participants to generalize their training after a review of their past week‟s activities. Participants were to write and imagine 4 events they would like to happen in the coming week. The researcher took participants‟ questions and observations.

7^th Session

Participants were commended for active participation in this training after a review of the assignment given last week. The researcher administered the post

141

test to ascertain the effect of training on the participants. They were told to report in 3 week‟s time for follow up at the same time/venue.

Placebo Treatment (Control Group)

The researcher, after introduction and familiarization with participants in this group, made up excuses for not having treatment sessions with them as appointed. The Depression Inventory and Index of Self Esteem were administered to this group on pre-test post-test basis also. Though the researcher was regular and punctual at the scheduled day/time, Anticipation Training strategy was later used for the control group as it was slightly more effective than Activity Schedule strategy. This was held at the Biology laboratory of Ebute-Elefun High School in District 11. Time was 2 - 3. 30pm on Wednesdays for seven weeks.

Method of Data Analysis

The data generated from this study was subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics appropriate for each hypothesis. All the hypotheses were tested with the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to adequately reveal the interaction effects of the covariate that is the pretest. The LSD pair-wise comparison was used to determine which pairs of the groups evidenced significant difference in the post-test means.

The level of significance for testing of all the hypotheses was set at 0.05. In addition to the statistical tests, tables were judiciously used to present summaries. The results of the data analysis are presented in chapter four.

142

CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS

The results obtained from the various statistical analyses carried out in the study are thus presented.

Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference in the depression scores of participants in the three experimental conditions.

Analysis of Covariance was utilized. In the ANCOVA analysis, the independent factor was experimental condition; the dependent variable was post-test depression scores, while the pre-test depression scores were entered as covariate. The results of the analysis relating to this hypothesis are presented in Tables 2 and 3.

143

Table 2: Descriptive Statistics of Pre and Post-test Depression Scores across the Experimental conditions with ANCOVA Test of between Subjects Effect.

Pre-test Scores Post-test Scores Mean Group N Mean SD Mean SD Difference Activity Schedule 32 39.46 9.61 26.25 3.59 13.21 Anticipation Training 32 41.06 7.22 26.03 2.85 15.03 Control Group 32 41.19 5.83 38.84 7.20 2.35

Total 96 40.57 7.55 30.38 7.75 10.19 Source SS df MS F Corrected Model 3465.01(a) 3 1155.00 47.53*

Covariate 21.69 1 21.69 0.89 Exptal Condition 3357.95 2 1678.98 69.10*

Error 2235.50 92 24.99 Total 94274.00 96

a R Squared = .608 (Adjusted R Squared = .595)

*The mean difference is significant at the .05 level.

Table 2 shows a pre-test grand mean of 40.57 (SD=7.55) as against 30.38 (SD=7.75) obtained at post-test thus yielding a pre-test post-test mean difference of 10.19. a disaggregation according to experimental conditions shows a pre-test post-test mean difference of 13.21 for the Activity Schedule Group, 15.03 for the Anticipation Training Group and 2.35 for the Control Group. The computed F (2, 92) =69.10, P < 0.05 for experimental condition was statistically significant at the 5% level, thus suggesting that the treatment conditions were effective in reducing mild depression among adolescents. To determine where

144

the significant differences lie, pair wise comparisons were performed with the following results;

Table 3: Least Significant Difference (LSD) Pair wise Comparisons of Difference in Depression Level of Participants across Groups

Dependent Variable: Depression Inventory Post-Test (1)Treatment Groups (J) Treatment Groups

Mean

Difference (I-J)

Std.

Error Sig.^a Activity Schedule Anticipation Training .39 1.25 .76 Activity Schedule Control 12.41^* 1.25 .00

Anticipation Training Control 12.80*

1.23 .00 Based on estimated marginal means

*The mean difference is significant at the .05 level.

a Adjustment for multiple comparisons

An inspection of the p-values shows that both activity schedule and anticipation training strategies differ significantly (p<0.05) from the control group. The two treatment groups were however undifferentiated. It means that the two treatment groups are homogeneous. This result means that the two treatment conditions were effective in the reduction of mild depression among Nigerian adolescents.

Hypothesis 2: Hypothesis two states that there is no significant