Application of SPACE Model Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Improvement of Students` Achievement in Chemistry in Secondary Schools in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State

Abstract

This study investigated the SPACE model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the improvement of students` achievement in chemistry. The study was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. A quasi-experimental research design of pretest posttest non-equivalent control group design was used in the study. The area of the study was Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers state. All the senior secondary school chemistry students in the area formed the population out of which 94 students were selected from two intact classes in two schools using purposive sampling technique. The study used a Chemistry Achievement Test as instrument for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Kudder-Richardson (KR-20) formula which produced an internal consistency index of 0.84. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that SPACE model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is highly potent in improving students` achievement in chemistry. The study also found that male students` achieved significantly higher in chemistry than the female students. More so, the results showed that the interaction effect of instructional strategy and gender is significant. Thus, it was recommended among others that the SPACE model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy should be adopted by teachers in the teaching of chemistry.