GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING PROGRAMMES AND MANAGEMENT OF ACADEMIC PRESSURE AMONG STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between guidance and counselling programmes and the management of academic pressure among students in selected higher education institutions in Rivers State. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised 100,056 respondents, consisting of students and counselling staff in four selected higher education institutions in Rivers State. A sample of 706 respondents was selected, comprising 650 students and 56 counselling staff. Data were collected using the Guidance and Counselling Programmes and Students' Stress Management Questionnaire (GCPSMSMQ), while 684 completed copies were found usable for analysis. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that guidance and counselling programmes were positively related to students' management of emotional pressure (r = .462, p < .05), workload stress (r = .518, p < .05), and performance anxiety (r = .487, p < .05). The findings indicate that guidance and counselling programmes are associated with students' ability to manage important dimensions of academic pressure. It was therefore recommended that higher education institutions should strengthen counselling services and ensure that students have regular access to professional guidance and counselling support for emotional pressure, academic workload and performance anxiety.