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

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.