Bodisere Juliet Teibowei, Ph.D
Abstract
The study evaluates the effectiveness of a 12-week Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) intervention programme for female victims of spousal abuse in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Three objectives were stated and three hypotheses tested at 0.05 significant level. Sample consisted of 60 female victims of spousal abuse drawn through convenience sampling. Three stages were used in collecting data: pre-treatment, treatment and post-treatment. Experimental design was used for the study. Four instruments were adapted for the study, namely; the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Social Adjustment Scale (SAS) and the Symptoms Checklist Scale-90-R. Reliability of the instruments was established through test-retest; coefficients obtained were: BDI= 0.79, BHS = 0.78, SAS = 0.84 and Symptoms Checklist-90-R=0.82 indicating the instruments reliability for use in the study. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-test of independent samples. Results obtained revealed that DBT is effective in treatment of female victims of spousal abuse; age and educational status also had significant effect on effectiveness of the programme. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that, DBT should be employed for treatment of both perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse and that State counselling centres manned by Professional Counsellors should be established to provide counselling services.