Relationship between Rewarding Positive Behaviour and Disruptive Behaviour in Secondary Schools in Nairobi County Kenya

Relationship between Rewarding Positive Behaviour and Disruptive Behaviour in Secondary Schools in Nairobi County Kenya

Everlyn Nyasani¹ & Dr Chrispus Wawire²

¹Masters student Kenyatta University

²Lecturer Kenyatta University

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.71031

Received: 30 August 2023; Accepted: 12 September 2023; Published: 18 October 2023 

ABSTRACT

It is estimated that about 20% of secondary school students in Kenya display challenging behaviours such as disruptiveness, non-compliance or aggression that limit their ability to learn and interfere with productive classroom instruction. Teachers use a variety of ways to manage and reduce these challenging behaviours. For instance, from the literature reviewed, it is clear that disruptive behaviour is as a result of punitive measures used in managing students’ behaviour. In these studies, it is not clear how specific behavioural management strategies influence disruptive behaviour. The aim of this study therefore, was to investigate the correlation between rewarding positive behavior; teaching alternative behavior and disruptive behaviours among form two students in Dagoretti Sub County. Specifically, the study investigated the relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and teaching alternative behaviour and disruptive behaviour. This study employed a mixed research methodology in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Data was collected because the study was aimed at establishing if there was a significant relationship between behaviour support strategies and disruptive behaviours among form two students. According to Kothari (2004) quantitative research methodology focuses on numeric and detailed data that is collected using structured research instruments while qualitative methodology collects data from the respondents using narratives. Questionnaires were used to collect data on the study variables and then analysed using computer software to answer the research questions. Interview schedule was used to collect qualitative data from the guidance and counselling teachers. This research methodology was appropriate for this study because it provided an in-depth understanding of the research problem since it employs diverse approaches in data collection.

The study was based on Problem Behaviour Theory. To establish the nature of the relationships among the research variables, the study employed correlational research design. This study was carried out in Dagoretti North Sub-County, Nairobi City County. The study targeted 6456 form two students, 64 form two class teachers and 32 guidance and counselling teachers in the year 2023. Purposive sampling was employed in selecting form two classes, their class teachers and guidance and counselling teachers. Students were selected using simple random sampling. The sample consisted of 365 students and 20 teachers who were sampled from 10 schools. This study primarily utilized structured questionnaires for the classroom teachers and students to collect data on Rewarding positive behaviour used by teachers and disruptive behaviour. Piloting of the research instruments involved conducting a study in one school using 20 students and two teachers. The results were used to ascertain the validity and reliability of the questionnaires. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data by calculating frequencies and percentages that were presented using frequency tables. Pearson product moment correlation analysis was employed to test hypotheses. The results indicate that there was a negative and significant relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and disruptive behaviour, r (352) = – .29, p < 0.05. Since the study found that there was a negative and significant relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and disruptive behaviour among students, teachers should ensure that they come up with comprehensive guidance and counselling programs on teaching the students desirable behaviour and rewarding positive behaviour. This will go a long way in reducing disruptive behaviour among secondary school students.

Keywords: Rewarding positive behaviour; Student behaviour; Secondary schools

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The prevalence of problem behaviours among British adolescents has increased in the past decades. Following Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory and Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological model, it was hypothesized that youth problem behaviour is shaped in part by social environment. In Kenya, secondary school unrests have been reported over the years. In 2016 for instance, the country experienced the worst disruptive behaviours among secondary school students since independence. The violent student unrests and destruction of property prompted the formation of a parliamentary committee to inquire on secondary school students’ unrests and rampage. The committee sought to unearth the factors that were associated with student strikes. The Standard newspaper of July, 12^th 2018 reported that 4210 secondary school students in Nyanza region were out of school following the spate of unrests reported. These problems range from arson which is the most rampant; bullying, violence, alcohol and hard drugs abuse. The indiscipline concoction is proving to be a very hard nut for teachers and parents to crack. On 9 March 2018, a video was released of a teacher at the Three Rivers Secondary School at Sedibeng being hit by a book thrown by a pupil (Slatter, 2018; Dhlamini, 2018). In other incidences, a teacher was stabbed to death by a pupil in Zeerust, North West Province, and a 15-year-old student from Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, was arrested for pointing a gun at a teacher and threatening to shoot (Daniel, 2018). A recent Google search (2018) revealed a fairly large number of incidences that attest to ill-discipline in South African schools: a learner stabbing a teacher over a “feeding” argument (2018), a pupil stabbing another (2018), two pupils killed during a knife fight in KwaZulu-Natal (2018) , a fatal stabbing of a pupil in a Durban school (2018) , and a pupil injured in a knife fight outside the school (2014) .Such cases have led to death, property destruction in schools, drug abuse, violence and school administration had indicated that problem behaviour cases had reached insurmountable  levels.

Hardly a term goes by without media reports of students’ misbehaviour. Citizen online news on 2^nd November, 2012 reported that on Thursday, 1st November 2012, three students from Muranga were arrested with petrol which they intended to use to burn their school. Ten other students from Nyeri were also arrested after they destroyed school property and caused chaos. The question is, what role are the teachers playing to curb all these indiscipline cases?  Efforts that have been made to address disruptive behaviours among students have largely focused on the causes. Karimi (2018) reported that disruptive behaviours among students were associated with too busy parents, unrealistic expectations from parents, lack of freedom and low self-esteem. (Mulawarman et al., 2020) investigated the factors leading to problem behaviours among students and reported that such behaviours were attributed to home background, poor adult models, laxity of parents and absent parents. The studies recommended that the parents should be sensitized on the significant role they play in shaping their children’s behaviour.

Despite the many studies that have been conducted to investigate the factors associated with disruptive behaviour among students and implementation of the findings to curb the problem, incidences of problem behaviours are still rampant. According to Jones-Smith (2011) this problem has continued to persist because parents and teachers have neglected developing acceptable behaviours among school going children. Behavioural support strategy is an important facet in educational settings and in curriculum implementation. In any social entity, disruptive behaviour is inevitable and as a result there has been growing concerns on the strategies teachers use to foster the development of desirable behaviours among learners including those with behavioural and emotional disorders (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2004).

Students’ behaviour management strategies are based on psychological principles of learning. Systematic application of these principles has been found to be effective in the development of desirable behaviour patterns and reducing disruptive behaviours (Asoni, 2016). Reinforcement has been found to be the commonly used strategy in behaviour management. According to Winkielman (2005), reinforcement is an incentive that increases the occurrence of desirable behaviours. It involves rewarding positive behaviours which in turn decreases the occurrence of undesirable behaviours. There are different approaches that can be used to encourage the occurrence of   positive behaviours and in the management of problem behaviours and therefore the study was aimed at examining the specific Rewarding positive behaviour  used by teachers in Dagoretti Sub County and how they influence disruptive behaviour among secondary school students.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Disruptive behaviour among secondary school students is a matter of serious concern that the ministry of education and all stakeholders in the education sector are grappling with. Cases of student unrests in schools, bullying and arson attacks that stem from disruptive behaviour are not new. In the year 2018 alone, more than 100 secondary schools in Kenya were closed down following student strikes and fire incidences. The year 2016 recorded the worst incidences of student unrest in two decades that made the Ministry of Education (MOE) to introduce new measures to reform the sector. In the year 2019, cases of bullying in some top national schools in Kenya were reported. It was alleged that some students were hospitalized   due to the injuries inflicted by fellow students.

Out of these disruptive behaviours, schools have been closed leading to loss of valuable learning time; this eventually leads to poor academic performance. In addition, property has been destroyed and in the worst cases, students have sustained injuries or even died. Due to these disruptions, some teachers have left their schools or even resigned from their jobs. This discredits the noble profession of teaching. If this problem continues unchecked, the moral fabric of our society will be destroyed and schooling will be void of acceptable moral values.

Educational researchers such as Kindiki (2009), Kiprop and Chepkilot (2011) and Mwery (2010) have expressed great concern on the high levels of indiscipline in Kenyan schools. Kindiki associated this problem to the ban of corporal retribution while Mwery associates attributed it to ineffective training of teachers on alternative approaches to discipline after the ban of corporal punishment. From the findings, any scholar is left to wonder if teacher support strategies influence disruptive behaviour among secondary school students. The methodology used by past research also makes it difficult to establish the extent to which the studied variables influence disruptive behaviour. Therefore, the central problem of this study was to explore the relationship between Rewarding positive behaviour  and disruptive behaviour among form two students to close the gap.

A study carried out in South African Schools showed that, “There is a correlation between high levels of criminality in the community which is transported into schools. Guns come from communities; the knifing and anger come from communities” (Daniel, 2018). Parents, teachers, school managers and other stakeholders in Tanzanian society believe that learner’s discipline is an important ingredient in academic success and see punishment as part of the disciplinary strategies employed by schools (Khuluse, 2019). E

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study may provide an empirical basis for resolving disruptive behaviours among secondary school students. The results may provide useful information to all stakeholders on the factors associated with disruptive behaviours among secondary school students. The study findings may inform the National government in establishing proper methods of helping school going children who are disruptive.  Regarding policy restructuring, the findings of the study may be instrumental in the reshaping of Kenya’s education policy with regards to correcting children’s behaviour and additionally, help education administrators and managers to put in place policies that curb problem behaviours. The study findings may be of benefit to all teachers as they may be aware of the most effective ways to eliminate students’ disruptive behaviour. The school administrators may also benefit from the findings as they will be better equipped to provide professional development for their teachers on the different ways of solving the students’ problem behaviours. The findings will also contribute to literature on classroom management, students discipline and on other factors associated with disruptive behaviours among secondary school students by locating behaviour management strategies.

LITERATURE REVIEW

a. Relationship between Rewarding Positive Behaviour and Student’s Disruptive Behaviour

Effective teaching requires teachers to have adequate skills to manage a classroom environment and appropriately guide the students towards social order. Due to its importance in the management of students’ behaviour, it has been considerably studied. Yusoff and Mansor (2016) conducted a study to investigate the effectiveness of strategies used by teachers to manage students’ disruptive behaviours in Rawang. The study involved 14 teachers collecting data using semi-structured interviews and self-constructed questionnaires. Qualitative analysis of the data and descriptive statistics results revealed that disruptive behaviours were as a result of ineffective punitive measures in the management of students’ behaviours. The study did not focus on the specific behaviour support strategies such as rewarding positive behaviour and the extent to which they are related to disruptive behaviour because it adopted the descriptive research design. There was need conclusive findings on the variables that can be manipulated to effectively manage and curb student’s disruptive behaviour.

Relatedly, Steve and Esere (2017) designed a study to investigate the strategies for managing deviant behaviours among adolescents in Nigeria. The study employed descriptive survey research design. A total of 70 secondary school counsellors were purposely selected to participate in the study. Strategies for managing deviant behaviour scales were used to gather information. Data examination involved the use of descriptive and inferential statistics and the results showed that deviant behaviour among students was associated with poor parenting and ineffective behaviour management strategies in school. However, the study used strategies for managing deviant behaviours scale, which is too general considering the fact that there are many strategies that can be used to manage deviant behaviour. For more conclusive findings, this study used a rewarding positive behaviour questionnaire.

Pas, Cash, O’Brennan, Debnam and Bradshaw (2015) investigated the association between teacher behaviour management strategies and classroom behaviour.  The researchers used observational information obtained from 1262 classes sampled from 52 secondary schools. The researchers examined the teacher’s classroom running approaches, ratings of learner engagement, conformity, and social disturbance. The specific patterns of students’ behaviour in relation to the teacher’s classroom management strategies were analysed using latent profile analysis. The findings revealed that in 71% of the behavioural profiles, students consistently met the expectations, 23% inconsistently met the expectations while 6% were non-compliant. It was also revealed that there was a functional association between the learner’s behaviour and the teacher’s behaviour management strategies. Observation as a technique that was used to collect data might have influenced the behaviour of the respondents and hence affecting the reliability of the results. The study used the introspection technique to collect data and then compare the findings.

In another study, Adeyemo (2012) examined the relationship between classroom management strategies and students’ behaviour and academic achievement. The descriptive study sampled 80 students and 20 teachers who completed the classroom disruptive behaviour questionnaire. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics; ANOVA and t-test. The researcher discovered that effective classroom management was significantly related to the students’ behaviour and academic achievement. The credibility of the results is at stake since the statistical analyses used; ANOVA and t-test only test for group differences yet it was reported that classroom management strategies were significantly related to the students’ behaviour.

In Kenya, Anayo (2014) designed a study to investigate strategies adopted by teachers in the management of discipline in secondary schools in Langata Sub County. The mixed method study selected 92 teachers and 12 principals using simple random sampling and stratified sampling techniques respectively. Questionnaires, document analysis and interview schedules were used as the primary tools to collect data. Hypothesis testing was done using chi square and the results revealed that cognitive and supportive strategies were very useful in students’ behaviour management. However, the relationship between teachers’ rewarding positive behaviour  and the students’ disruptive behaviour was not reported.

METHODOLOGY

a. Research Design

In this study, correlational research design was employed. According to Kothari (2010) a correlational research design is a type of non-experimental research in which the two or more variables are measured to establish the nature of their relationships. This design was appropriate for this study because it would be impractical to manipulate the disruptive behaviour of the respondents. Furthermore, it was not possible to randomise and manipulate rewarding positive behaviour due to ethical issues. Therefore, rewarding positive behaviour was examined in its natural state to establish the relationship with students’ disruptive behaviours. This study employed a mixed research methodology in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Data was collected because the study was aimed at establishing if there was a significant relationship between behaviour support strategies and disruptive behaviours among form two students. Questionnaires were used to collect data on the study variables and then analysed using computer software to answer the research questions. Interview schedule was used to collect qualitative data from the guidance and counselling teachers. This research methodology was appropriate for this study because it provided an in-depth understanding of the research problem since it employs diverse approaches in data collection. The study was based on realism research paradigm.

b. Sampling Techniques and Sample Size

Sampling refers to a research technique that is used to select a given number of respondents from the target population (Kothari, 2004). This study used purposive sampling to select form two classes because they are the most affected with problem behaviours. The form two class teachers and guidance and counselling teachers were also purposively sampled to participate in the study because they are better placed to understand the behaviour patterns of form two students than any other teacher. To ensure unbiased representation of the respondents, the researcher used simple random sampling to select the students. The researcher wrote ‘yes’ and ‘no’ on small pieces of papers whose number was determined by the proportionate sample of the students to be selected. The pieces of papers were folded and then put in a container. Each student was allowed to pick one piece and those who selected a ‘yes’ are the ones that participated in the study.

b. Sample Size Determination

The sample size was selected using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula,

Where:

S – Sample size

X² –      Value of Chi-square (3.84)

N –       Target population

P –        The population proportion (assumed to be 0.5)

d –        The degree of accuracy (0.05).

Table 1: Sample Size

Note. (  ) percent. Source: MOE 2023 c. Research Instruments

Rewarding Positive Behaviour Questionnaire

The study adopted the teacher classroom management strategies questionnaire developed by Webster (2001). The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire is 0.77 and it consists of two domains namely; rewarding positive behaviour and teaching alternative behaviour (Appendix B). The highest score was 50 while the lowest score was 10. It was scored by finding the average and then rated on the Likert scale.

Disruptive Behaviour Questionnaire

The study adopted the disruptive behaviour questionnaire developed by Karimy et al. (2018). The questionnaire measured the frequency with which the student makes noise in class, gets into fights in school, incites other students and resorting to violence. A score of four indicated that the student’s behaviour is non-disruptive while a score of sixteen indicated a high frequency of disruptive behaviour.

Interview Schedule

This study employed a mixed research methodology in which both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. The self-constructed interview schedule was used to collect information from the guidance and counselling teachers. It gathered data on background information and behaviour support strategies used in the school. The qualitative data that was collected was used together with quantitative data to answer the researcher’s questions.

Data Collection

The researcher collected primary data using questionnaires and interview schedules, which were directly administered to three categories of respondents namely; class teachers, students and guidance and counselling teachers. Qualitative data was collected from the guidance and counselling teachers by interviewing. These techniques were considered ideal for collecting data from the teachers and students from the various schools because they could individually interpret these instruments and provide the required information. This was also the easiest way of reaching a large number of informants within limited resources and time. Some of the research instruments were taken physically to be completed by the respondents and then collected the same day while others were sent online.

Data Analysis

The collected data was coded into a computer software SPSS version 23. The data was then checked for missing values and outliers. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Preliminary analysis of quantitative data involved the use of frequencies, means, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis.  Inferential statistics was used to test research hypotheses.

FINDINGS

Demographic Information of the Respondents

The researcher conducted gender and age cross tabulation and the results are presented in Table 2.

Table 2: Gender and Age Cross Tabulation of the Students

Note. (    ) percentage.

(Source: field data 2023)

Table 2 shows that 122 male students representing 44% were aged between 14-16 years. A total of 154 female students were aged 14-16 years. The findings indicate that the number of female students aged between 14-16 years was slightly higher than that of the boys. The results also indicate that 38 male students were aged between 17 and 19 years while 26 female students were aged between 17 and 19 years. The number of male students aged between 17 and 19 years was slightly higher than the number of female students. The respondents aged 20 years and above were 12 of which 8 (67%) were male while 4 (33%) were female. The results indicate that there were a number of students in form two who were over age. This may be attributed to illness, lack of school fees or truancy which made the students to delay in schooling. But generally most of the students involved in the study were within the recommended age bracket of form two students.

The researcher also examined the teachers’ level of education based on gender and the results are presented in Table 3.

Table 3: Gender and Teacher’s Highest Level of Education 

Note. (   ) Percentage

(Source: field data 2023)

The results indicate that majority of the respondents representing 55% had bachelor’s degree in education. Thirty percent of the teachers with bachelor’s degree were male while twenty-five percent were female. Only 15% of the respondents had diploma in education out of which 10% were male while 5% were female. Twenty five percent of the respondents had a masters degree in education (15% male and 10% female). Only 5% of the respondents had other qualifications.

Rewarding positive behaviour scores were also analysed based on gender and the results are presented in Table 4.

Table 4: Descriptives of   RPB based on Gender

 Note (Source: field data 2023)

The results presented in Table 4 indicate that the mean of rewarding positive behaviour scores for male teachers was 13.89 with a standard deviation of 3.96. The mean score of female teachers was 15.13 with a standard deviation of 3.86. The results indicate that female teachers performed better than male teachers in rewarding positive behaviours but the difference was not statistically significant. The results were consistent with the findings of Oktan and Kıvanç (2015) who established that there was no significant difference in student behaviour management among teachers. The researchers found that even though female teachers scored better than male teachers in classroom management strategies, the difference was not significant. The results imply that regardless of gender, teachers were equipped with skills to effectively manage students’ behaviour. The minimum score for male teachers was 7 while the maximum score was 19 with a range of 12. On the other hand, the minimum score for female teachers was 7 while the maximum score was 20 with a range of 13. The expected minimum score was 4 while the expected maximum score was 20. The kurtosis and skewness coefficients were within the recommended range implying that the scores were near normal distribution.

Regarding the highest level of education of the teacher and the descriptives of rewarding positive behaviour scores, the results are presented in Table 5.

Table 5: Descriptives of RPB Based on Academic Qualifications

Note (Source: field data 2023)

As indicated in Table 5, the mean score of rewarding positive behaviour among teachers with diploma qualification was 13 with a standard deviation of 2.61. The minimum and maximum scores were 7 and 17 respectively. The mean of the scores of teachers with bachelor’s degree in education was 14.75 (SD = 3.65). The minimum score was 8 while the maximum score was 20 with a range of 12. Teachers who had a masters degree in education scored a mean of 14.25 (SD = 4.61) in rewarding positive behaviour. The minimum score in rewarding positive behaviours of teachers with masters degree was 7 while the maximum score was 19 with a range of 12.  The mean of rewarding positive behaviours scores among teachers with other qualifications was 13.50 with a standard deviation of 4.95. The minimum and maximum scores were 10 and 17 respectively. All the kurtosis and skewness coefficients of the scores of teachers with different academic qualifications show that the scores were near normal distribution. The results obtained indicate that teachers with bachelor’s degree had the highest mean score in rewarding positive behaviour followed by teachers with masters degree in education. Teachers with diploma in education had the lowest mean score in rewarding positive behaviour.

The researcher also explored disruptive behaviour based on the gender of the students and the results are presented in Table 6.

Table 6: Descriptives of Disruptive Behaviour by Gender

The results presented in Table 6 show that the mean score of male students on disruptive behaviour was 6.40 (SD = 1.34). The minimum score was seven while the maximum score was 10 with a range of three. The kurtosis and skewness coefficients were – 2.41 and – .17 respectively. For female students, the mean score on disruptive behaviour was 8.60 with a standard deviation of 2.07. The minimum score was five while the maximum score was 10 with a range of 5. The kurtosis coefficient was 1.93 while the skewness coefficient was 1.45. The coefficients indicate that the distribution of disruptive behaviour scores for both male and female students was near normal. The results indicate that female students exhibited more disruptive behaviour than male students.

 The results contradicted the findings of Campbell (2004) who established that males were found to have more externalising behaviour problems than female students. The contradictory findings may be attributed to contextual and cultural differences. According to Lumley et al. (2002) disruptive behaviours among boys and girls vary depending on environmental and cultural factors.

The study was conducted among form two students but when their age was examined, the results showed that the age of the students varied from 14 years to 20 years and above. Table 7 presents the descriptives of disruptive behaviour based on the age brackets of the students.

Table 7: Descriptives of Disruptive Behaviour based on Age of the Students

Note (Source: field data 2023)

The mean score of disruptive behaviour among students aged between 14 and 16 years was 6.50 (SD = 1.52). The minimum score was five while the maximum score was nine. The mean score of students aged between 17 and 19 years was nine with a standard deviation of 1.41. The minimum score was seven while the maximum score was 10 with a range of three. Those who were aged 20 years and above had a mean score of 6.20 (SD = 1.21). The results indicate that older students exhibited less disruptive behaviour compared to younger students.  The results are in line with the findings of many studies that have demonstrated that students in the early stages of adolescence exhibit more disruptive behaviour than students in late adolescence. Kawser (2016) found that students in early and middle adolescent stages exhibited higher levels of anxiety and disruptive behaviour than students in the late adolescence stage. The results confirm the justification to involve form two students in this study. Most of the form two students are in early and middle adolescence stages and therefore it was expected that these students were the most affected with disruptive behaviour.

Hypothesis Testing

The first objective of this study was to find out the relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and student’s disruptive behaviour. To achieve this objective, the following null hypothesis was advanced;

H₀₁ There is no significant relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and student’s disruptive behaviour.

The hypothesis was tested using Pearson product moment correlation analysis and the results are presented in Table 8.

Table 8 : Correlation between Rewarding Positive Behaviour and Disruptive Behaviour

Note. N – Sample size; RPB – Rewarding positive behaviour

Note (Source: field data 2023)

The results presented in Table 8 indicate there was a negative and significant relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and disruptive behaviour, r (352) = – .29, p < 0.05. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative one adopted. The findings indicate that an increase in rewarding positive behaviour was associated with a corresponding decrease in disruptive behaviour among secondary school students. The findings imply that students who were highly rewarded for positive behaviour exhibited less disruptive behaviour. On the other hand, students who were lowly rewarded for positive behaviour exhibited high levels of disruptive behaviour. The results support the findings presented in Table 4.14 and Table 4.19 which show that an increase in rewarding positive behaviour was associated with a decrease in disruptive behaviour among students.

Discussion of the Results

The researcher sought to find out the relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and disruptive behaviour and the results showed that there was a negative significant relationship between the two variables. The results are consistent with the findings of other studies that have been conducted on disruptive behaviour among students. Yusoff and Mansor (2016) reported similar findings in a study that was conducted among teachers. The researchers established that disruptive behaviour among students was linked to ineffective behaviour management practices among teachers. The results showed that the use of punitive measures in the management of undesirable behaviours was not effective in dealing with the problem. Even though the study did not directly focus on rewarding positive behaviour, the findings imply that behaviour management strategies such as rewarding positive behaviour was associated with less disruptive behaviour among students. The results confirm that focusing on positive behaviour of students is important in eradicating disruptive behaviour among students.

The results obtained in this study corroborate the findings of a study conducted in the UK by Payne (2015). The study sought to find out how the use of sanctions and rewards affected learners’ behaviour in a classroom. The study was carried out in elementary schools and the sample size consisted of children aged between seven and eleven years. The results showed that the responses of students to different behaviour management strategies were complex. Positive rewards were found to work well in terms of teacher-pupil relationship and promoted the spirit of hard work among the learners. On the other hand, the use of sanctions such as making the learners miss breaks and giving detentions were found to be counterproductive in the development of desirable behaviours. Learners who were exposed to sanctions did not register significant improvement in the development of desirable behaviour.

In another study, Baños et al. (2019) found that disruptive behaviour among secondary school students was a major concern. The researchers established that disruptive behaviour was associated with the type of behaviour management strategies used by teachers. The study highlighted the importance of teacher competence in the use of effective behaviour management strategies to enhance the development of desirable behaviours among students. The study emphasised the importance of teachers’ feedback in fostering desirable behaviour among the learners. Of significance was that positive feedback on students’ desirable behaviour encouraged the occurrence of the same behaviour.

Similar results were obtained by Steve and Esere (2017) who established that deviant behaviour among students was associated with poor behaviour management strategies. The study was conducted among secondary school counsellors in Nigeria. The study revealed that teachers who were using behaviour management strategies that focused on positive behaviour of students experienced less disruptive behaviour from students compared to their counterparts who focused on students’ negative behaviour. According to O’Brennan et al. (2015), rewarding positive behaviour encourages students to repeat the desirable behaviour. When students are rewarded for positive behaviour, they learn to exhibit the behaviour for which they get rewards and desist from doing things that do not generate positive feedback. This routine helps students to register incremental changes in their behaviour. A classroom environment filled with positive reinforcement creates an environment that helps the students to feel emotionally secure and confident, factors that contribute to more positive behaviour.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study revealed that there was a significant and negative relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and disruptive behaviour among secondary school students. The results suggest that students who are highly rewarded for desirable behaviour exhibit less disruptive behaviour. On the other hand, students who are lowly rewarded for desirable behaviour record more cases of disruptive behaviour. Based on the results, it is therefore important for teachers and parents to consistently reward positive behaviour of students in order to reduce cases of disruptive behaviour among students. Rewarding positive behaviour increases chances of exhibiting desirable behaviour.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Practice Recommendations

Since the study found that there was a negative and significant relationship between rewarding positive behaviour and disruptive behaviour among students, teachers should ensure that they come up with comprehensive guidance and counselling programs on teaching the students desirable behaviour and rewarding positive behaviour. This will go a long way in reducing disruptive behaviour among secondary school students.

REFERENCES

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