Edo Journal of Counselling

Aetiology of Igbo Cultural Rites (A Case Study of Abiriba Community): Implications for Counselling.

KA Oko

The study investigated the aetiology of Igbo cultural rites with the aim of highlighting the implications for church and community relations as a means of promoting peaceful co-existence. The investigation isolated the following rites namely: “igu afa” (naming ceremony); “igba nnunnu”(shooting of birds); “uche oba” (surveillance of barn); “izari efa” (public recognition ceremony); “igwa mang” (Fulfilment of vows); “uche”(community surveillance); “ili madu” (burial); “ikwapu aria”(sharing of property) and “ila ikwu nne” (matrilineage). The Abiriba community in Igboland of Abia State in Nigeria was used as a case study. The research was guided by three research questions designed to establish the essence, raison d’etre and similarities between the rites and Christian rites. The case study featured three sages selected with a criterion as purposive sample and applied an unstructured interview schedule derived from the purpose of study as the instrument for data generation. Frequency distribution was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that ( i) the cultural rites have symbolic essence (ii) the rites have raison d’etre (iii) there are similarities between cultural and Christian rites. The implications of the findings for the pastoral counsellor, the church, and the age grade system were highlighted. It was recommended that the church should adopt the attitude of critical contextualization which refers to the process whereby cultural beliefs or rites are neither rejected nor accepted without objective cross-cultural analysis.

Key Words: Igbo, Culture, rites, community relations

The Mediating Impact of Personality and Socio-Economic Status in the Treatment of Stress in Adolescents

GN Okorodudu

This was a quasi-experimental study designed to examine the impact of personality and socio-economic status as moderator variables in stress reduction among 90 diploma students of the Institute of Education, Delta State University, Abraka. The paper employed 3x2x2 pretest posttest control group design. Two therapeutic methods Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) and Recreational Exercises Therapy (RET) were used to bring about stress reduction among adolescents. The Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) Statistic was used for data analysis. The results showed that personality had a great impact on stress reduction of adolescents. There was no difference in the impact of personality types A and B. Likewise, the result of socio-economic status revealed a lot of impact on stress reduction among adolescents. Participants from high SES had more impact than those from low SES. These findings have implications for adolescent Counselling in the University system.

Keywords: Mediating Impact, Personality, Socio-economic Status, Adolescents, Stress.

Socio-Economic Status and Preferences in Marriage Partner Selection among University Undergraduates in South-South of Nigeria

AE Maliki

Selection the ideal spouse is the most confusing process in the life of most people. This paper sought to examine differences undergraduate’s socio-economic status have on their preferences of marriage partner selection in terms of their personality traits, socio-economic status and physical attractiveness. A total of 1,419 participated in the study. Data was analyzed using, mean, standard deviation, one way analyses of variance and Fisher’s Least Significance Difference. The result revealed that university undergraduates socio-economic status significantly influence preferences in marriage partner’s selection in terms of personality traits, socio-economic status and physical attractiveness. It is recommended among others that undergraduates should not choose marriage partners that are committed to money and pleasure alone but to loving attitude which is the most basic characteristic that every individual should possess. Also that youngster should know their potential marriage partners well enough before they make the final decision, not just looking at the potential marriage partner’s high socio-economic status.

Key Words: Marriage, Economic status, Undergraduates, Socioeconomic Status, Nigeria.

Influence of Spousal Communication on Marital Stability: Implication for Conducive Home Environment

MO Esere

It is often said that the home is the basic unit of the larger society. Thus when the home is settled, the society is at peace. The main focus of this study was to find out the influence of spousal communication on marital stability: Implications for Conducive Home Environment. A researcher-designed questionnaire titled “Influence of Spousal Communication on Marital Stability Questionnaire” was used to collect necessary data for the study. The questionnaire was administered on 600 stratified randomly selected married adults in Ilorin metropolis. The t-test and ANOVA statistics were used to compare the perception of married adults on the basis of gender and length of marriage. The findings show that most of the respondents agree to the statement that lack of effective communication is the bane to marital stability. It was also found that there was significant difference in the perception of married adults on the influence of spousal communication on marital stability on the basis of gender and length of years in marriage. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended, amongst others, that marriage counselling clinics should be set up in all major establishments in Nigeria so as to educate married men and women of the need for effective communication in marriage for a peaceful and conducive home environment.

Key words: Spousal communication, Conducive home environment, Married men and women, Marital stability.

Fostering Adolescents’ Interpersonal Behaviour: An Empirical Assessment of Enhanced Thinking Skills and Social Skills Training

KO Ayodele

The study investigated the effect of enhanced thinking skills (ETS) and social skill training (SST) in fostering interpersonal behaviour among Nigerian adolescents. A pre- and post-test experimental-control group design with a 3x2 factorial matrix was employed for the study. Gender which was used as a moderator variable was considered at 2 levels along with two (2) experimental and one (1) control groups. The study participants were one hundred and twenty (120) Senior Secondary 2 and 3 students randomly selected from 3 chosen secondary schools in Sagamu LGA of Ogun State. One standardized instrument was used in collecting data while analysis of covariance and t-test statistical methods were used to analyze the generated data. Both the treatment programmes were effective in fostering interpersonal behaviour in the adolescents but Enhanced Thinking Skill was found to be more effective than Social Skill Training. The study also revealed that both ETS and SST did better with females compared to males. Based on the findings, it was recommended that all caregivers must continuously update their skills on the use of ETS and SST to help our youngsters live a meaningful and fulfilled live.

Keywords: Adolescents, Enhanced Thinking Skills, Social Skills Training, Interpersonal Behaviour, Emotions and Gender

Assessment of the Implementation of the Secondary School Skill-Based Curriculum to Youth Empowerment in Nigeria

D Ofoha

This study was conducted to assess how the Nigerian secondary school vocational and technical education curriculum was implemented with a view to ascertain the extent to which it has empowered students for self-employment. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The sample comprised 380 junior and senior secondary school [JSS and SSS] students and 120 teachers, selected from twelve secondary schools drawn across three states in Nigeria, one state from each of North Central, South East, and South West geopolitical zones of the country. Stratified random sampling technique was applied to select student-sample while purposive sampling was used for teachersample. The schools covered by the study comprised four categories: federal government school [FGS], state government school [SGS], high class private school [HCPS], and low class private school [LCPS]. The study utilized both quantitative and qualitative techniques in data collection and analysis with
questionnaires and observation as main instruments. Results revealed that sampled students have learnt significant self-employable entrepreneurial skills in 6 out of 36 vocational areas. Also, their entrepreneurial capability was found low, as there were no significant production of marketable goods and services to show for their practical knowledge. The study recommends, amongst others, integration of entrepreneurship education in the teaching-learning process, as this will enable students to be motivated in identifying entrepreneurial opportunities.

Key words: Nigerian youth, entrepreneurial skills, self-employment,
vocational and technical education, skill-based curriculum, implementation

Prevalence and Causes of Depression among Civil Servants in Osun State: Implications for Counselling

AF Yusuf

In recent times, the pressure of daily living, especially in an environment of insecurity and economic gloom is likely a precursor to depression among Nigerian workers. This is the motivation for the present study. The survey research type was employed. The Prevalence and Causes of Depression questionnaire (PCDQ) was developed by the researchers to obtain information from the participants. Research questions and hypothesis were formulated to guide the conduct of the study. Data collected were subjected to simple percentage, analysis of variance and t-test analysis. The results revealed that majority of civil servant are suffering from depression. The study showed that depression is prevalent among women than their male counterparts. The study also revealed that job demand and poor remunerations are the major causes of depression among civil servants. The study recommended the establishment of counselling unit in establishments and ministries; counsellors should be made available for employees; the counsellors should be organizing health education from time to time on management techniques.

Key Words: Causes, Civil-Servant, Counselling, Depression, Prevalence.

Parental Perception and Attitude to Children’s Violent Acts in Ife Central Local Government Area Secondary Schools

OO Ojo

This study identified among others , the level of parental awareness of the violent acts, actions parents will take when their children perpetrate violence and how violent acts can be solved in school. 50 children from 10 senior secondary schools 1 to 3 were chosen randomly and asked to give the questionnaire to their parents in the survey. The results reveal that parents are aware of violent acts that occur in schools and some of the causes are poor supervision by school authorities (82%), peer influence (82.8%), exposure to violent films (85.2%) and emotional instability (79.8%). Children that will report violence to their parents are 84% while 61.4% believed that their children will report to them if they perpetrate violence in schools. Furthermore, 65% of parents would go to schools to approach any child perpetrating violence against their children while 53.8% would go and report to the teacher. In addition (26.2%) would still ask their children to go back to school to retaliate. Opportunity for sports and other recreational activities, games, debate, excursions, club activities, visitation to schools by parents, establishment of Guidance and Counselling units are some of the strategies suggested for solving violent behaviour of children in schools.

Key Words: School violence, parents and violence, strategies for curbing violence

Teacher Characteristics and Students’ Choice of Teaching as a Career in Osun State

AG Adkintomide

The study investigated the teacher characteristics that influence students’ choice of teaching as a career among secondary school students in Osun state, Nigeria. A sample size of 250 students was drawn from 10 randomly selected senior secondary schools in three local government areas of the state. Data were collected using a validated 35-item questionnaire titled “Teacher characteristics and students’ career aspiration”. The result revealed that factors such as quality of teaching, mode of dressing and communication skills are prominent among what students assess in their teachers as motivators towards choosing teaching as a career. The study also showed a significant relationship between students’ attitude to choice of teaching as a career and teachers characteristics (χ2 = 3.73, p < 0.05). There was also a significant difference between the attitude of private and public school students towards teaching as a profession with regards to teachers characteristics (t = 3.274, p < 0.05). The study concluded that with the prevalence of the observed problems, there is urgent need to work towards repositioning teaching as a career that would attract the interest of people with the potential to deliver the educational need of the Nation by addressing some of the teacher characteristics that can influence students’ choice of teaching as a career.

Key words: Teacher-characteristics, Career, Choice

Challenges of Women Participation in Continuing Higher Education Programme: Implications for Adult Women Counselling and Education

MN Egenti

This paper investigated the challenges or constraints of women in continuing higher education programme with particular focus on the B.Ed part-time programme of the University of Lagos. A simple survey research design was employed to explore the issue. A 15 item questionnaire supplemented with oral interview sessions provided the data used for the study. The study involved 150 randomly selected women in B.Ed part-time programme of the University of Lagos. The sample was drawn from across three Departments in the Faculty. The data collected were analyzed using mean score, frequency count and simple percentages. The findings of the study showed that the major constraints or challenges of women participants in the programme include time constraints, increasing marital demand, poor economic or financial base, poor learning environment, lack of encouragement from employers and spouse, increasing social pressure and poor psychological disposition. The implications of study for women’s counselling and education were highlighted. Based on the findings, recommendations were also proffered.

Keywords: Challenges, Women’s participation, Continuing higher education, Implication, Counselling and Education.