Social Cognitive Skills and Delinquent Behavior Modification among Students in Secondary Schools in Kenya

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between social cognitive skills and delinquent behavior modification among students in secondary schools in Kenya. The Correlational Research design within the Positivist paradigm was adopted. The accessible population comprised of 3,740 students who had undergone counselling in 26 secondary schools in Rongo sub-county of Kenya. A sample size of 374 counselled students was obtained using both stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The Brief Self-Control Scale, Behavioral Inhibition Scale, Vicarious Experience Scale, Challenging Behaviour Attributions Scale and Behavior Modification Scale were used to collect data. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to investigate the internal consistency of the questionnaires all the sub-scales had internal consistency of 0.701 and 0.759. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and regression analysis were used to analyze data. The model was statistically significant [F (4, 339) =16.928, Adjusted R2=.157, sig. <.05], implying it was adequate enough to predict the dependent variable. However, this finding indicates that only 15.7% of the variability in behaviour modification among the secondary school students is explained by social cognitive skills. The school counsellors should use person centered counselling techniques to enhance social cognitive skills among students.