Vol. 3 - 2026
Hyperkinetic behaviour (HKB) is a disorder associated with environmental and genetical determinants, which has been established as capable of causing significant disruption in the lives of affected children and those around them, especially in school settings. This can lead to offensive habits and behaviour, resulting in rejection, social isolation, and poor academic achievement. Having previously identified severe and moderate manifestation of HKB in nearly 50% of primary school pupils in Osun State, we investigated in this study the use of spontaneous Social Skills Training (SST) by teachers to modify the behaviour of affected children. This non-pharmaceutical intervention implemented outside of traditional clinic-based settings avoided treating the children as patients or clients. The study adopted the pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research design, and the population comprised of all public primary school pupils and teachers in Osun State. A sample of 87 pupils, and 5 teachers purposively selected from primary three to capture pupils between the ages of six and nine years, were selected for the study. These fall within the age of symptom manifestation of hyperkinetic behaviour based on DSM-IV criteria. Pupils in selected schools were randomly assigned into two groups for intervention and control purposes. Three research instruments that were used are the Hyperkinetic Behaviour Rating Scale, Social Skills Rating Scale, and Social Skills Training Manual. The results revealed a significant effect of [F=11.991, P<0.05] in modifying hyperkinetic behaviour. The study therefore concludes that SST is an effective psychotherapy for mitigating hyperkinetic behaviour among pupils in Osun State, Nigeria.
Social Skills Training, Hyperkinetic Behaviour, Developmental Disorder, Psychotherapy
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