EFFECT OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY ON SOCIAL SKILLS DEFICIT AMONG STUDENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Hearing Impairment (HI) is a condition that limits an individual’s ability to perceive sound and often results in communication difficulties, delayed speech development, and challenges in social interaction and emotional adjustment. Among students with hearing impairment (SwHI), these challenges frequently manifest as deficits in social skills. In Southwest Nigeria, many students with hearing impairment struggle with effective social interaction, which may affect their integration in school and society. While previous studies have largely focused on academic interventions, speech therapy, and assistive technologies, limited attention has been given to psychological interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in addressing social skills deficits. This study therefore examined the effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on social skills deficits among senior secondary school students with hearing impairment in Oyo State, Nigeria, while also considering gender as a moderating variable. The study adopted a pretest–posttest control group quasi-experimental design. Two Local Government Areas; Ibadan Northwest and Oyo East, were randomly selected, while three senior secondary schools were purposively chosen based on the presence of students with hearing impairment. A total of 36 students with hearing impairment, screened within a hearing threshold of 71–90 dB SPL, participated in the study. Participants were assigned to a CBT treatment group (24) and a control group (12). Data were collected using the Social Skills Deficit Assessment (r = 0.92), Social Skills Rating Scale (r= 0.91), and instructional guides. The intervention lasted eight weeks, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance at the 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed a significant effect of CBT on improving social skills among students with hearing impairment. However, gender had no significant influence, indicating that CBT effectively enhanced social skills regardless of gender.

Keywords: Students with Hearing Impairment in Oyo State, Cognitive behavioural therapy, Social skills deficit.