Goal Setting Skill as a Pernacea to Sexual Abuse: A Theoretical Review

Abstract

Sexual abuse has consistently raised significant concerns among stakeholders
in the education sector, particularly within Nigerian secondary schools,
thereby necessitating this research. This study aimed to assess the relative
effectiveness of goal-setting skills as a strategy for mitigating sexual abuse.
While sex is a natural activity that can provide meaningful and intimate
experiences, it can also become an antisocial act when engaged in under
inappropriate circumstances. From a psychological perspective, sexual
behavior is deemed maladaptive if it leads to feelings of distress, anxiety, or
guilt, or if it inflicts harm on others. In essence, a sexual behaviour is
considered maladaptive if it adversely affects an individual's well-being or that
of others. Goal setting entails the formulation of an action plan aimed at
directing an individual or group towards a specific objective. Goals can be
established at various levels: initially, individuals outline their overarching
aspirations for their lives and the significant objectives they wish to
accomplish. Subsequently, the study disaggregates these aspirations into
progressively smaller targets that must be achieved to realise their long-term
goals.