Citation

Ede MO, Ezeh NE, Ifeanyieze FO. Webology 2022; 19(3): 685-702.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, University of Tehran, Iran, Publisher Info Sci Publisher)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Hate speech is a speech or an action that demonizes a group on the basis of their shared attributes such as ethnicity, culture, colour, gender, political inclination, or philosophical persuasions in relation to context. Currently, hateful languages have become a public issue in Nigeria. This study investigated the impact of cognitive behavioural language therapy on online hate speech experience among Nigerian university students. This is randomized control trial design with 110 participants (Treatment group=55participants and waitlisted control group=55 participants). The recruited participants in treatment group received cognitive behavioural language therapy programme. The results of the ANCOVA analysis showed that there are positive study outcomes for the participants in the treatment group compared to those in the waitlist control group over the three periods. Additionally, we found a consistently significant impact of cognitive behavioural language therapy on online hate speech experience among Nigerian university students. We, therefore, conclude that cognitive behavioural language therapy is a powerful intervention, able to reduce specific distorted cognitions associated with hate speech experience among Nigerian university students.

Language: en