Youth aggression has become an increasing concern within Nigerian universities, manifesting in forms such as cultism, bullying, physical violence, and verbal abuse. This behavioural trend threatens academic performance, campus safety, and overall student well-being. The prevalence of aggression among university students is often linked to social pressures, emotional dysregulation, and maladaptive cognitive patterns. As such, cognitive behavioural strategies (CBS) offer a promising approach to address and transform these aggressive behaviours.

This study investigates the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural strategies in mitigating aggressive tendencies among students in selected Nigerian universities. Using a quasi-experimental design, a sample of 180 undergraduate students with identified aggressive behaviours was selected through purposive sampling. Participants were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 8 weeks of structured cognitive behavioural intervention, focusing on cognitive restructuring, anger management, problem-solving skills, and social perspective-taking. The control group received no intervention during the study period.

Data were collected using standardized aggression and emotional regulation scales at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages. The data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to assess the impact of the intervention. Findings revealed a significant reduction in aggressive behaviours among students in the experimental group compared to those in the control group. Furthermore, improvements were sustained at the follow-up stage, suggesting the long-term benefits of cognitive behavioural strategies.