Differential Effectiveness of Model-Reinforcement and Desensitisation Techniques in Improving Academic Performance

The present study was designed to investigate the relative effectiveness of model-reinforcement and systematic desensitization group counselling techniques in fostering academic performance. The review of the literature is presented in the following sequence: (L) Dimension of the problem of poor academic performance (ii) Early and significant studies and writings on poor academic performance. (ili) Studies on group counselling in relation to academic performance. (iv) Some efforts qnd recommendations for the improvement of poor academic performance. The subjects of the study were'144 Form four students (72 boys and 72 girls) randomly drawn from the population of low aChieving students of two secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State of Nigeria. One school was for the model-reinforcement group counselling while the other school was for desensitization group counselling. Baseline and criterion data were collected on four variables; nrul~ly, pre and post test scores of S2lf - Appraisal of Academic Ability S~ale (SAAAS),Progressive Matrices Test iii (PMT), English Achievement Test (EAT) and, Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) 0