COUNSELLING AGAINST VIOLENT BEHAVIOURS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IMO STATE

Abstract

The study evaluated the impact of counseling on violent behaviours of senior secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria. Key research questions guided the scope and length of the study and a survey method was used for designing the study. The population of the study were senior secondary class two students (SS2) and 10 counsellors drawn from each of the six educations zones in Imo state, namely Owerri zone 1 and 2, Orlu Zone 1 and 2 and Okigwe zone 1 & 2. The sample and sample techniques were one hundred and thirty four (134) students and 60 counsellors drawn from the study population. The instrument of the study is a combination of primary and secondary self-made questionnaire and questionnaire drawn from literature review) named Counselling Against Violent Behaviours among Secondary School Students (CAVBASSS) The findings revealed that the secondary school violent behaviours reduced due to the roles of school counsellors in Imo State. Furthermore, based on the research findings from the study, the counsellors' responses indicated that counselling helped some students to stop verbal and physical fighting and scheduling time for counselling students to reduce violent behaviours was not an easy task to achieve. Most of the counsellors reported no increase in school violence in the recent time due to the increased availability and access to counselling services in the secondary schools. The following recommendations was made: (i) it is of benefit if future researchers use large sample size that covers the surroundings state (ii) comparative study of the variances of school violence in different states and regions.