Abstract

This study examined the effects of Assertiveness Skill Training (ASST) in fostering identity formation among early adolescents in Junior Secondary Schools. The moderating effects of self-efficacy and parental socio-economic status were also examined. Psychosocial theory provided the framework for the study while the pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design with a 3x3x3 factorial matrix was adopted. Three out of five local governments that were densely populated with students were purposively selected in Ibadan. Identity formation screening tool was administered to draw students who have poor identity formation. Thirty participants were selected from each school making 90 participants using simple random sampling technique. The participants which age ranges from 12-15, 15 males and 15 females were randomised into AST (30), and control groups (30). The interventions lasted for two months. Ego Identity Development Scale was used to screen the participants for the pilot study. General Self-efficacy scale (α = 0.76), Identity Formation Scale (α = 0.87) and Parental Socio-economic Status Scale (α = 0.73) were used for data collection. Seven hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Analysis of covariance and Duncan post-hoc test were utilised for data analysis. There was significant main effect of treatments on identity formation of early adolescents in JSS. (F(2, 65) = 18.175, partial η2 = .359). AST (x = 40.83 and control group (x = 31.37). There was no significant main effect of self-efficacy (F(2, 65) = .981, partial η2 = .029) on identity formation. There was significant main effect of socio-economic status (F(2, 65) = 4.413, partial η2 = .120) on identity formation. There was no significant interaction effect of treatment and self-efficacy on identity formation. There was no significant interaction effect of treatment and socio-economic status on identity formation .However, there was three way interaction effects of treatment, self-efficacy and socio economic status on the dependent measured. Assertiveness skill training was effective in fostering identity formation of early adolescents in Junior Secondary Schools in Ibadan. It is recommended that educational and counselling psychologists and other stakeholders could adopt the training in management of identity formation among the adolescents.