The Management Of Psychosocial Problems Of Street-Beggars In A Destitute Centre In Lagos Metropolis

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of two behaviour modification strategies, namely: the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) and the Social Learning Theory (SLT) on the management of psychosocial problems of street-beggars in a destitute centre in Lagos metropolis. The participants in the study comprised 120 (60 men and 60 women) able bodied destitute and street beggars who were randomly selected in a destitute centre in Lagos metropolis. The instruments used for the study are:

(1) the Behaviour Assessment Scale (BAS),

(2) the Beggar's Predictor Scale (BPS),

(3) the Self-Efficacy Scale (SES),

(4) the Internal Control Index (ICI) and

(5) the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).

The research design used for this study is the quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The hypotheses formulated, tested the significant difference in the posttest scores on the perception of street begging by the beggars, the reasons given by the beggars for begging on the streets for alms, the level of self-efficacy, the locus of control and the attitude towards life satisfaction of these street-beggars. There were two treatment groups and a control group. The analyses of data were done using a 2x3 Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Protected t-test analyses were done to determine which of the treatment methods was more effective. The step-wise multiple regression on the posttest assessment measure was done using the Behaviour Assessment Scale (BAS) and the Beggar's Predictor Scale (BPS) posttest scores as dependent variables.