ABSTRACT
The
study assessed demographic variable differences in undergraduates’ utilization
of professional counselling centres in selected public universities in Nigeria.
Nine research questions and twelve hypotheses guided the study. The theoretical
framework for this study is based on theory of reasoned action (TRA). The
conceptual frame work of the study showed the relationship of the effect of the
demographic variables on students’ utilization of the university professional
counselling centres. The study employed the Expost facto descriptive survey
design and data was collected by the use of anadapted structured questionnaire
that was administered on 1236 regular undergraduate students in three public
purposefully selected universities in Nigeria which are Universities of Benin,
Benin (UNIBEN),University of Lagos, Lagos (UNILAG) and Federal university of
technology, Akure (FUTA). Simple random sampling techniques were used to select
the respondents. The instrument was content validated by the supervisors and
experts in test and measurement in the department of guidance and counselling.
The validity was further ensured by conducting a pilot study. The reliability
of the instrument was established through split half method on a sample of
forty students of the Benson Idahosa University, Benin – City. The reliability
test yielded cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.76, the data generated were
analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The
analyses indicated that female students utilized the counselling centres more
than the male students while married students indicated more interest in the
utilization of the counselling centres than the single students. Furthermore,
fresh university students’ utilized the counselling centres more than students
in other levels. The findings also indicated that younger undergraduate
students utilized the centres more than the older students. Majority of the
students indicated that their reasons for utilizing the centres were to resolve
academic related problems, examination anxiety and financial matters. Students
also indicated that their major reasons for not utilizing the centres were lack
of time, unwillingness to disclose personal issues to others and lack of trust
and confidentiality of professionals at the centres. Both utilizers and
non-utilizers of the centres recommended ways of improving students’
utilization of professional counselling centres. The study recommended that
university authorities should establish clear policies that would improve and
strengthen the capacity of the centres in rendering quality services to the
students. Also vigorous awareness campaigns should be launched on the
importance of undergraduates utilization of counselling centres in universities
in Nigeria.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The
pivot of the developmental efforts of any modern society is her educational
sector, which every other sector revolves around. Her policies, economy,
technology and social cohesion largely depend on her educational
sector. Today, in the quest and race to become a developed nation by the year
2020, Nigeria does not only need intellectuals or technocrats but also
wholesome individuals to fulfil the dream.
According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria
(2004) in her National Policy on Education, university is charged with the
primary responsibilities of teaching, research and providing quality service to
the community and society at large.
Students can feel overwhelmed or discouraged as they face various life
and academic challenges that confront them in today’s complex university system. In supporting students through their academic
programmes and promoting their development, Guidance and Counselling plays
primary functions in meeting the stated mission of any university.
The researcher, from personal
experience with students, observed that utilization of Counselling centres by
undergraduate students in Nigerian universities is generally low. Given the plethora of problems that these
students face in their various universities, which should invariably require
counselling services, it is surprising that they do not utilize counselling
centres.
The
natural question to ask,is “why are the students not utilizing counselling centres?” The picture is further accentuated by the
fact that despite the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) 2013 Benchmark statements
for the establishment of Counselling and Human Development Centres in Nigerian
universities, surprisingly, many universities are yet to comply. It would seem that the overall picture of the
provision of counselling services onthe one hand and the utilization of these centres
on the other hand is not bright for Nigerian universities.
In a bid to grapple with this anomaly, three public
universities with functional Professional Counselling Centres were purposefully
selected for the research. They are the
Universities of Benin, Benin City, University of Lagos, Lagos and the Federal
University of Technology, Akure.
My
experience in the course of carrying out this research work indicates that
there is a paucity of reviewed indigenous literature but majority of the
available ones are based on foreign experiences and foreign authors. It is my hope that this “pioneering” work on
the
“Assessment of Demographic
variable differences in Undergraduates’ Utilization of Professional Counselling
Centresin Selected Public Universities in Nigeria” would stimulate the interest
of other researchers, such that, in no distant future, the field would be agog
with indigenous literature.
The
major clientele of the universities are young adolescents and adults between
16-30 years. They are faced with
psychological, personal-social, educational, social, vocational, financial and
health related problems. Frank &Karyn (2005) argued that although
university undergraduate students are young adults, most of them remain in a
suspended state of semi-immaturity and dependence, compared with persons of the
same age who do not attend any university but begin their careers immediately
they attain puberty.
New
students are usually faced with a lot of problems when trying to adjust to the
new environment. They are besieged with
problems like budgeting their slim resources
(Pocket money) to enable them eat
balanced diet and keep healthy at school, handling accommodation problems and
effectively managing time and freedom
without parental guidance.The new students who are faced with these numerous
problems are usually seen utilizing counselling centres for proper guidance so
they can adequately adjust to the new environment in their academic
sojourn. The older students do not
utilize these services in counselling centres. Whenthey are faced with
problems, they tackle them by themselves.
Adolescents
by their nature and level of development experience problems but they seek the
help and counsel of their peer groups rather than utilize counselling centres. The adult students utilize counselling
services more in areas like career and vocational counselling, job placement,
writing and preparing curriculum vitae, becausethese adequately equip them to
adjust better in the labour world after graduation. Single students utilize
Counselling Services more than married ones.
They usually will seek counselling on dating, courtship and friendship
related matters. The single students
equally utilize counselling services on ways to live harmoniously with their
roommates in the hostel as in most cases, they quarrel and fight in their rooms.
Married students usually are very
reluctant to utilize counselling services. Whenthey live in the hostel, they cooperate
better with their roommates, and do not divulge marital related issues to a
counsellor easily because they fear lack of privacy and breach of confidentiality.
Generally,
men are less emotional than women and believe they can solve their emotional problems
by themselves. Male undergraduates are usually involved in risky maladjustment
behaviours like cultism, drug/alcohol abuse and impersonation in examination
halls. Their reserved and ego-related
nature usually prevent them from
utilizing available counselling services in counselling centres, many of them
associate stigmatization with utilizing counselling centres. Female undergraduate students, on the other
hand, are more vulnerable and usually very disposed to the utilization of Counselling centres. Research has revealed that female students
are more likely to utilize counselling services in the centres, because women
in general show a higher ratio of depression and anxiety.
The universities have recognized gaps in the
personal development of these students and consequently, provide Counselling centres
to meet the students’ needs. The general
objectives of these Counselling centres are toassist studentsin their personal growth, so that they may function effectively and
achieve success in their academic endeavours, and create programmes which may
solve their personal and career problems.
Larnap
(1993) stated that counselling services in tertiary institutions are highly
needed in areas of curbing juvenile delinquency and other forms of social
maladjustment behaviour including the use of dangerous drugs, practice of
cultism and its associated danger, areas of poor and lack of adequate hostel
facilities, inefficient and irregular transportation for students and serious
issues on poor academic performance. The ultimate expectation is that, students
will be helped in developing their potentials to maximum capacity.Ipaye (1990)
viewed Guidance and Counselling as providing an atmosphere as well as a setting
which can be a physical, social and psychological environment within which a
counsellor can provide help to a client or a group of counsellees. There is agreement among experts that there
are three major components of Guidance and Counselling. These are Educational Guidance, Vocational
Guidance and Personal Social Guidance (UNESCO, 2009). Under these three major areas, there are
several Guidance and Counselling Services such as Appraisal, Information,
Placement, Orientation, Evaluation, Referral and Follow-up (Danga, 2004). Each of these major components with their
services address students’ needs, challenges and problems. Effective Guidance and Counselling centres
need to be based on a complete understanding and acceptance of student’s
experiences. Thus, effective Guidance and Counselling services are not only
crucial for those students who deviate from the norms, but for all university
students (Mutie & Ndambuki, 2004)
A
number of studies have been carried out on counselling needs and counselling
services of students Egbochuku(2005), Aluede, Imhonde & Eguavoen(2006),
Alutu (2008), Egbochuku & Akpan(2008), Eyo, Joshua & Esuong (2010),
Regis(2012) and Yirgalem(2013). Lapan, Gysber & Sun (2003)Explored similarities
and differences between undergraduate and graduate students from two Nigerian
universities in terms of their counselling needs and Counselling Services. He found that younger and older students
shared some similarities in academic counselling. Older students had more
multiple personal-social problems compared with younger students. Astudy on
stressors and Counselling needs of undergraduate nursing students at the
university of Ibadan (Omigbodun, Onibokun, Yusuf, Odukogbe & Omigbodun,
2004) identified common stressors of students as excessive school work,
financial problems, inadequate recreational facilities and overcrowded
accommodation. They also reported inconsiderate and insensitive lecturers as
evidence of psychological distress.
Nearly 60% of the respondents felt counselling would help and most of
them desired counselling for academic, financial and personal relationship.
Despite the Counselling services rendered
to students, utilization of the counselling centres are very low and because of
low patronage of students to the centres, majority of them are forced to live
with their academic and social problems. The Students are also faced with
maladjustment problems, are involved in examination malpractice, develop serious lack of respect to constituted
authority, and engage in secret cult societies with the attendant criminal
activities on campuses. Usually, there
is an increase in health related problems, such as (STIs) sexual transmitted
infections, (HIV)Human Immuno deficiency virus,(AIDs) Acquired Immuno
deficiency syndrome. The manifestation of these social problems by students
suggests that a gap exists in the universities in the provision or utilization of Counselling
centres.
From
the researcher’s experience, as a counsellor in a Nigerian university, there is
a clear indication that many students do not utilize the Counselling centres
provided by universities. Despite a
variety of counselling activities organized for students in the university,
they are only attracted to the counselling centres when they are offered
scholarships, bursary awards, have orientation programmes for fresh students
and when there are compulsory seminars organised for specific groups of
students. Clearly, the patronage of voluntary Counselling services bordering on
personal, emotional or psychological problems is very low. It appears that students with such problems mentioned
above only go to the centreswhen a referral is made by a professional. It is against this background that this study
is being undertaken.
Statement of the Problem
According
to Omigbodun et al. (2004),there is a
rapid change in the educational, vocational and social life of people in modern
Nigeria as she undergoes a transition
from an essentially traditional society to a modern one. Such changes place
considerable stress on students whose coping and adaptation mechanism often fail
when they find it difficult to overcome the stress. Counselling services have
been introduced in university centres since 1980. However, the rate of
utilization of the services gives cause for a lot of worry.
A
study involving 4,699 first year students at a British university (which was
84% of first year students at the university) showed that 3% had used
university Counselling centres by the end of the second semester (Cooke, Bewick,
Barkham, Bradley &Audin, 2006).Similar overall utilization rates of between
2 and 4% have been reported in America(Yoo&Skovholt,
2001), South Africa (Flisher, 2002), and Indonesia (Setiawan, 2006).
Research
further reports that students’ utilization of Counselling centres is
affected/influenced by demographic variables such as gender, level of study,
age and marital status (Arco, Fernandez, Heliborn & Lope, 2005). Gender may
play a role in help seeking behaviour and the utilisation of Counselling centres
as the available evidence suggests. Studies consistently show that women are
more likely to seek help for emotional issues and they also possess more positive
attitudes towards counselling than men (Freeman, 1992) and this may be one reason
that men perceive greater stigma associated with seeking help and
utilizing Counselling centres. Brown (2008) stated that quite often married
students are wary of stigma and
lack of confidentiality and
therefore, hesitate to utilize
Counselling centres, the single students freely
associates with their peers and utilize such available services being
provided in their universities. Fresh
students (100-200 levels) are also the ones who have greater needs than the
older students (300-600 levels) for counselling due to their lack of experience
and the special needs they encounter when beginning their university studies (Costello,
Angold, Burns, Erkanli&Stangirweed,1996).
A
study conducted by Gonzalez, Alegria & Prihoda(2005) showed that young men between 15 and 17 years and 18 to 24 years were
significantly less likely to utilize Counselling centres than same aged female
peers. But the indifferences between
gender and help –seeking propensity disappeared in older male group aged 35 to
44 years and 45 to 54years.In other words,
older men did not report less likelihood
of utilizing Counselling services in the University Centres than 15 to 24 years
old women. Gonzal ezet al(2005) Ellen(2000)
stated that while it was difficult for men to find the type of counselling help
they needed for both academic and personal concerns, women are less reticent
about admitting their difficulties and looking for help. Furthermore, studies
have reported some demographic variation in the pattern of utilization of
counselling centres by university undergraduates. All these are in respect of
undergraduates in foreign countries. The case of Nigerian universities has not
been comprehensively researched.
Previous
Studies by Pritohard Wilson & Yamnitz (2003),Frey (2006), Cooke et al (2006), Hyun, Quinn, Madon & Lustig(2007),
Ibu & Maliki (2010)have attempted to evaluate and compare the utilization
of counselling centres by students in state and Federal universities. The researchers also carried out studies to
determine if location and type of tertiary institutions affect utilization of
counselling centres. However, they did
not specifically research on utilization of university counselling centres by
undergraduates. To the knowledge of the
researcher, much of this aspect of the work has not be done. Hence the researcher’s interest is to find
out if undergraduates utilized the university counselling services provided for
them by the various universities professional counselling centres.
This research is,
therefore proposed to find answer to the following questions:
·
Do undergraduates in our
universities utilise the counselling service provided for them in the professional
counselling centres?
·
What proportion of the
students utilize the professional counselling centres?
·
What are the demographic
variables affecting students’ utilization of professional Counselling centres?
·
For what purpose do they
utilize the professional counselling centres?
These
questions are the underlying problem that this study seeks to investigate
Purpose of the Study
The
study examined the demographic variable differences in undergraduate sutilization
of university professional Counselling centres in selected Public universities
in Nigeria.
Specifically, the
study:
(1)
examined the proportion of
students that utilized university professional Counselling centres.
(2)
Examined if students differed
in their utilization of university professional
counselling centres according to their demographic variables such as sex, age,
level of study and marital status.
(3)
examined the proportion of
students that did not utilize university professional counselling centre.
(4)
examined if students
differed in their non-utilization of university professional counselling
centres according to their demographic variables of marital status, age, gender
and level of study.
(5)
identified reasons given by
students for utilizing university professional Counselling centres.
(6)
examined if students differed
in their reasons for utilizing university professional counselling centres
according to their demographic variables of marital status, age, gender an
level of study.
(7)
identify reasons given by
students for not utilizing the university professional Counselling centres.
(8)
examined if students differed
in their reasons for non-utilization of university professional counselling centres
according to their demographic variables of age, gender, level of study and
marital status.
(9)
examined measures suggested
by students for increasing students’ utilization of university professional Counselling
centres.
Research Questions
1. What
proportion of undergraduates utilized university professional Counselling centres?
2. Do
students differ in their utilization of university professional Counselling centres
according to their demographic variables of age, marital status, level of study
and gender?
3. What
proportion of undergraduate students did not utilize university professional
counselling centre.
4. Do
undergraduate students differ in their non-utilization of university
professional centres according to their demographic variables of age, marital
status, gender and level of study?
5. What
reasons are given by students for utilizing university professional Counselling
centres?
6. Do
students differ in their reasons for utilizing university professional Counselling
centres according to their demographic variables of gender, marital status,
level of study and age?
7. What
reasons are given by students for non utilization of university professional Counselling
centres?
8. Do
students differ in their reasons for non-utilization of University professional
Counselling centres according to their demographic variables of age, gender,
marital status and level of study?
9. What
measures are suggested by students for increasing student’s utilization of
university professional Counselling centres?
Research Hypotheses
1)
There is no significant
difference in the utilization of professional counselling centres between male
and female undergraduates in selected public universities in Nigeria.
2)
There is no significant
difference between single and married undergraduates in their utilization of
professional counselling centres in selected public universities in Nigeria.
3)
There is no significant
difference among undergraduates of different age bracket in their utilization
of professional counselling centres in selected public universities in Nigeria.
4)
There is no significant
difference among undergraduates of different level of study in their utilization
of professional counselling centres in selected public universities in Nigeria.
5)
There is no significant
difference between male and female undergraduates in their reasons for
utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public universities
in Nigeria.
6)
There is no significant
difference between married and single undergraduates in their reasons for the
utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public universities
in Nigeria.
7)
There is no significant
difference among undergraduates of different age bracket in their reasons for
the utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public
universities in Nigeria.
8)
There is no significant
difference among undergraduates of different level of study in their reasons
for utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public
universities in Nigeria.
9)
There is no significant
difference between male and female undergraduates in their reasons for
non-utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public
universities in Nigeria.
10)
There is no significant
difference between married ad single undergraduates in their reasons for
non-utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public
universities in Nigeria.
11)
There is no significant difference
among undergraduates of different age bracket in their reasons for
non-utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public
universities in Nigeria.
12)
There is no significant
difference among undergraduate of different level of study in their reasons for
non-utilization of professional counselling centres in selected public
universities in Nigeria.
Significance of the Study
It
is envisaged that the study will benefit university counsellors, university
undergraduates, university management, policy makers and administrators in the
ministries of education and National Universities Commission, Educators and
Curriculum developers.
The finding of this study will assist
university counsellors in their evaluation of their Counselling service.
Furthermore, the counsellors will also have the information needed to make a
number of decisions related to what Counselling services to provide in
counselling centres, how the services should be provided and when to provide
them to the students. Such information will make university counsellors more
effective in the execution of their duties, thereby maximally benefiting the
students.
The
findings of this study will also assist student counsellors in understanding
student’s affairs, thus, helping them to achieve academic, vocational,
personal- social, growth and appropriate integration into the values and
productive activities of society. Undergraduates
are likely to be better off in terms of acquiring decision-making skills,
making appropriate choices from a number of alternatives and developing their
capabilities and potentials to the fullest from utilizing the counselling
services available in their various university counselling centres.
The
recommendations of this study may assist educational policy makers, curriculum
developer, and the university management in planning and making appropriate policies
and programmes to strengthen Counselling services in the universities’
counselling centres. It would also
assist educators and curriculum developer select complementary counselling
theories and strategies to enhance counselling services at the counselling
centres in Nigerian universities.
This
study will add to the limited literature in Nigeria on the utilization of
university professional counselling centresbyundergraduates in Nigerian
universities.Finally, it is anticipated that the study would create awareness
on the importance of utilization of university professionalCounselling centres
in Nigerian universities. Hence, filling the gaps in research in this area may
prompt other researchers to undertake similar studies in other educational
institutions.
Scope of the Study
The
study assessed undergraduates utilization of professional counselling centres in
selected public universities in Nigeria.
This study will be limited to the undergraduate students in the purposefully selected
public universities in Nigeria. These are the universities of Benin, Benin City,
University of Lagos, Lagos and the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
Post graduate students are not covered by this study.
The study assessed the utilization of
Counselling centres by undergraduate students. The considered demographic
variables are limited to age, gender, marital status and level of study of the
students.
Limitations of the Study
One
of the limitations of this study was the paucity of indigenous literature on
the subject. Majority of available
literature were based on experiences in other countries which already have
cultural biases. This study covered only
selected public universities in
Nigeria. Its findings may therefore, not
be generalised to the entire country.
Most universities in the country have
not established functional and adequately equipped counselling centres, as
majority of the existing centres are located in Students Affairs Divisions or as
a units in Faculties of Education.
Operational Definition of Terms
Counselling Need: means
service designed to help an individual analyse himself by relating his
capabilities, achievement, interest and mode of adjustment to new decisions he has made or has to make.
Level of Study:
This is the administrative and academic classification of students based on
their year of admission and academic performance. This study covers 100 to 600 level
students. For this study 100 and 200 levels are regarded as lower while 300 – 600 levels are seen as higher
levels.
Demographic Variables:
Demography is the scientific study of human population, encompassing their
sizes, composition distribution and changes.
For this study, the demographic variables of students would be
restricted to gender, age, marital status and level of study.
Counselling centre: The counselling centre is that physical
structure that is established to create a conducive student – friendly
environment for rendering effective counselling services.
Age of student: The study is concerned with students within
the age bracket of (16-30+) years.
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