The study examined cognitive behaviours of out-of-school adolescents in Southwest, Nigeria. The study specifically assessed the extent of cognitive behaviours of out-of-school-adolescents; and determined the difference in cognitive behaviours of out-of-school-adolescents based on their sex and location. Descriptive research design of the survey type was used in the study. The population of the study consisted of out-of-school-adolescents, in Southwest Nigeria. The study sample of 1458 out-of-school-adolescents in Southwest Nigeria was selected using multistage sampling procedure. The research instrument used was a questionnaire titled “Adolescents Cognitive Behaviours Questionnaire” (ACBQ) designed by the researcher. Face and content validity procedure of the instrument were ensured by experts in Guidance and Counselling, Educational Psychology, and Tests and Measurement. The reliability of this instrument was subjected to split half procedure to ensure its internal consistency and the value obtained after the correlation was 0.72 which indicated that the instrument was reliable. The data collected were scored and subjected to statistical analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of findings revealed that out-of-school-adolescents have highest exhibition of religious faith cognitive behaviour, closely followed by achievement motivation and altruism while the least exhibition was cognitive behaviour on nationalism. Also, the extent of cognitive behaviours among out-of-school-adolescents was moderate while cognitive behaviours of out-of-school-adolescents in Southwest Nigeria was not significantly differentiated by sex and location. It was recommended among others that the government should set-up a counselling intervention team that will see to the welfare and cognitive behaviours of out-of-school-adolescents.

Keywords: Cognitive, Behaviour, Out-of-School-Adolescents,

Cite this article: