EFFECT OF TOKEN ECONOMY TECHNIQUE ON TRUANCY TENDENCY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ORLU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of token economy technique on truancy tendency among secondary school students in Imo State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses tested at .05 level of significant guided the study. The study adopted a pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design.  The population for this study was a total of 116 SSII students from co-educational public secondary schools in Orlu Local Government Area. The sample size for the study comprised fifty (50) truants who were purposively chosen from two co-education public secondary schools in the area. Two instruments were used for data collection namely:  SSII Class Attendance Register (CAR) and Student Truancy Survey (STS). The STS was validated by experts in the Departments of Guidance and Counselling as well as Measurement and Evaluation, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and the reliability index established at 0.76 using Cronbach alpha statistic. Data collected from the study were analyzed using Mean and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results obtained from the study showed that token economy technique was indeed  significantly effective in modifying truancy tendency of secondary school students who participated in the treatment ((f=3.79, p<.05).  The results equally indicated that token economy technique was slightly more effective in modifying truancy tendency of the female truants than the male truants, but the difference in the effectiveness was  not significant based on gender  (f=4.60, p<.05).  Based on the findings of this study, some recommendations were made.  The researchers  recommended among others that  Imo State Ministry of Education should provide on–the-job training for both practicing school counsellors and therapists  on  the  use  of  token economy technique in  modifying  truancy  tendency  through  seminars, symposia and conferences.