Abstract:
Self-esteem is connected to depression and a wide range of other clinical conditions such as learning disorders, social phobia and hyperactivity disorder.
The study sought to ascertain the effects of assertiveness training and cognitive restructuring on low self-esteem and depression levels among
technical university students in Ghana. The study was quasi-experimental
study. The simple random sampling method was used to select 60 participants
for the study. Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem (RSE) and Beck Depression Inventory
(BDI) Scales were used for the data collection. The Cronbach Alpha for the
instruments were 0.77 and 0.72 for RSE and BDI respectively. The statistical
tools used for data analysis were frequencies, percentages, one-way analysis of
covariance (One-way ANCOVA) and two-way analysis of covariance (Twoway
ANCOVA). The results showed that participants who were exposed to
assertiveness training and cognitive restructuring recorded better scores in the
post-test scores as compared to participants in the control group who were not
exposed to any intervention. It was found that significant differences existed
between the cognitive restructuring and assertiveness training groups, and the
control group. It was concluded that the intervention programmes using
cognitive restructuring and assertiveness training were effective in improving
recommended that counsellors and lecturers of technical universities should be
motivated and supported by management of the universities, governments,
parents and the larger community to help organize assertiveness training,
found to have low self-esteem and depressed.
