DEPARTMENT O F EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY

This study examined the impact of social media usage on the mental health of econdary school students in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The study specifically focused on the nature of online interactions, duration of daily social media
engagement, exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, social comparison among friends, and differences in impact by sex. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area, while a sample of 150 students was selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed by the researcher and analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, including one sample t test and independent samples t test, at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that secondary school students actively engage in positive online interactions such as friendly conversations and emotional support. However, the results also showed that many students spend more than three hours daily on social media, stay online late into the night, and experience emotional fatigue after prolonged use. The study further revealed that students significantly interact with harmful or inappropriate online content and engage in social comparison among friends. In addition, a significant difference was found in the impact of social media usage between male and female students, with female students being more affected. The study concluded that social media usage among secondary school students has both positive and negative effects on their mental health. It therefore recommended proper guidance, monitoring, and digital literacy education to promote healthy social media use and
protect students’ mental wellbeing.

This study examined the influence of early childhood experiences on the academic selfconcept of senior secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, adopting a psychoanalytic perspective. The research was driven by the view that childhood experiences form the foundation of personality development, emotional stability, and later academic functioning. A descriptive survey design was used, and a sample of two hundred students was selected through a multistage sampling procedure. A validated questionnaire with a reliability coefficient above .70 was used to collect data on early childhood experiences and academic self-concept. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and independent samples t-test. The findings showed that emotional support, parental involvement, and quality of early childhood interactions were positively associated with academic self-concept among students. Children who experienced warmth, stability, and consistent guidance developed more positive academic self-beliefs compared with those who experienced neglect, frequent conflict, or instability during childhood. The results further indicated that early childhood experiences significantly predicted academic self-concept, while gender showed no significant difference in the influence of these early experiences on academic self-concept. The study concluded that early childhood experiences play an important role in shaping how students perceive their academic abilities, supporting psychoanalytic assumptions that early life events leave lasting impressions on personality and behaviour. It was recommended that parents, caregivers, and educators provide nurturing, emotionally supportive, and developmentally appropriate early childhood environments to promote healthier academic self-beliefs among learners.

This study examined the Prevalence of Social Anxiety among Secondary School Students: Implications for Counselling, four research questions were raise guide this study. The population for this study comprised of all 4,027 students enrolled in the 20 public junior secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. A total of 100 students constituted the sample size for this study. Using the simple random sampling technique, through balloting with replacement, five (5) students were randomly selected from each of the 20 public junior secondary schools within the local government area. This sampling method ensured that every student had an equal chance of being selected, thereby promoting fairness and reducing sampling bias. The major findings of the study are summarized as follows: Social anxiety is prevalent among secondary school students in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. Students who experience social anxiety often display low academic performance, as fear of judgment and embarrassment hinders active classroom participation and learning. Peer relationships are negatively affected, as socially anxious students tend to withdraw, avoid group interactions, and feel socially isolated. Based on the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations were made that counsellors should develop and implement systematic intervention programs, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness training, and social skills development, to help students manage anxiety symptoms effectively.Teachers should be trained to recognize the signs of social anxiety and adopt inclusive teaching practices that encourage participation without intimidation or ridicule.This study examined the Prevalence of Social Anxiety among Secondary School Students: Implications for Counselling, four research questions were raise guide this study. The population for this study comprised of all 4,027 students enrolled in the 20 public junior secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. A total of 100 students constituted the sample size for this study. Using the simple random sampling technique, through balloting with replacement, five (5) students were randomly selected from each of the 20 public junior secondary schools within the local government area. This sampling method ensured that every student had an equal chance of being selected, thereby promoting fairness and reducing sampling bias. The major findings of the study are summarized as follows: Social anxiety is prevalent among secondary school students in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. Students who experience social anxiety often display low academic performance, as fear of judgment and embarrassment hinders active classroom participation and learning. Peer relationships are negatively affected, as socially anxious students tend to withdraw, avoid group interactions, and feel socially isolated. Based on the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations were made that counsellors should develop and implement systematic intervention programs, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness training, and social skills development, to help students manage anxiety symptoms effectively.Teachers should be trained to recognize the signs of social anxiety and adopt inclusive teaching practices that encourage participation without intimidation or ridicule.

This study investigated the perception of the influence of the physical school environment on the academic performance of junior secondary school learners’ in Egor local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. The study specifically determined the perception of the learners on the extent to which classroom condition, ventilation, lighting and cleanliness influence academic performance. It also found out if male and female learners’ perception were significantly different. Furthermore, it determined if building and non-building repairs by school management significantly influence learner’s academic performance in Egor Local overnment Area of Edo State, to achieve the purpose of the study one research question was raised and answered while two null hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study adopted a survey design. The population of the study was 2,341 junior secondary school two (JSS2) learners in the 2023/2024 academic year from the 12 public junior secondary schools in Egor Local vernment Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The sample size was 100 JSS2 learners from four public senior secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area selected through simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was a researcher designed questionnaire tilled ““Perception of the Influence of the Physical School Environment on the Academic erformance of Secondary School Learners in Egor Local Government Area (PIPSEOAPQ).” The instrument has two sections. Section A and section B. section A elicited response on sex while section B contained seven questionnaire items with respond options of Very High, High, Moderate, Low and Very Low for item 1 to item 6. Item seven respond option ranges from very often, often, occasionally, rarely and never. The instrument was validated by three experts from the Department of Educational Evaluation and Counselling Psychology. The instrument was pilot tested with 20 students who were part of the population but not part of the study. Thereafter, data collected was subjected to Spearman's rho reliability computation. It yielded reliability coefficient of .952. Data was collected independently by the researcher. Permission and informed consent were obtained from school management and participants of the study. Data collected were analyzed using mean and mode scores. A mean score of 3.0 was set as the enchmark for item to be accepted to be agreed upon by participants of the study. In addition, ranges of criterion were also set to draw conclusion on the extent to which learners perceived questionnaire item in relation to the school physical environment to influence their academic performance. A mean value 3.5 and above was judged as very high; 3.0 to 3.45 was for high, < 3.0 to 2.99, moderate, < 2.99 to 2.5 Low and < 2.5 as very low. Research question one was analyzed and answered using mean and ode descriptive statistics. Hypothesis 1 was tested using two sampled independent t-test while hypothesis 2 was tested using regression statistics. The findings from the study revealed that the influence of the physical school environment on the academic performance of junior secondary school learners based on classroom condition, ventilation, lighting and cleanliness were very high in Egor local Government Area of Edo State. The mean and mode scores were 3.8000, 5.0, for classroom condition; 3.5000, 3.0 for ventilation; 4.0000, 5.0 for lighting and 3.8000 and 3.0 for cleanliness respectively. The findings also reveals a df = 98, and sig, (p-value) of .645, and a t-value of -.953 testing at .05 alpha level that there was no significant difference between male and female perception of the influence on the school physical environment on learners academic performance in Egor local Government rea. It further reveals that, for every one-unit increase in Building Repairs by School Management, there is an increase by .423 units in academic performance controlling for non- building repairs by School Management, which is found to be a significant change as perceived by learners in Egor local Government Area. Recommendation were made arising from the findings from the study that, the government should do everything possible to ensure that schools in Egor local Government Area are always kept clean with appropriate ventilation, lighting and good classroom conditions. School management should repair school building often to aintain good classroom conditions conducive for learning because the school physical environment highly influences male sand females academic performance highly

This study aimed at examining the influence of assistive technology in special education. Four research questions were raised to guide the study. The design adopted for this study is the survey research design. The sample consisted of 100 respondents (teachers) randomly selected from 10 schools in Ovia North East Local Government. Questionnaires were used for the collection of data from 100 (one hundred) respondents which were basically teachers. The research instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and two expert in the department of educational evaluation and counselling psychology The test re-test method was adopted in testing the reliability of the instrument after which the research instruments were administered by the researcher herself. The data obtained were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Findings revealed that teachers have the right perception on the effects of assistive technology in classes with special needs children. It was also revealed that Teachers have the right attitude towards the use of assistive technology in classes with special needs children. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Government and other stakeholders should organize workshop, seminars and other capacity building training regularly for teachers as means of updating their knowledge and skills in the use of assistive devices considering the dynamic nature of special education technology. It was also recommended that Special education teacher training institutions should include assistive technology in their preparatory programme that will equip pre-service teachers with the necessaryknowledge and skills that will ensure a minimum level of competence in the classroom.

The study investigated the relationship between socio-economic background of
parents and students’ academic performance in senior secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. To achieve the purpose of the study, four research questions were raised and answered. The population for this study was made up of all the 5,419 public senior secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The sample size for the study was made up of 70 respondents. Data collected from the respondents was analyzed using descriptive statistics, precisely mean and standard deviation. The instrument used for the data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Relationship between Socio-Economic Background of Parents and Students’ Academic Performance Questionnaire (RSEBPSAPQ)”. The constructed questionnaire for the study was presented to the project supervisor to confirm for content validity. The Cronbanch Alpha method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. The questionnaire was administered to a group of 20 respondents which were not part of the study but were part of the population. A Cronbach Alpha coefficient of .887 was obtained. This shows that the instrument is reliable. The findings from the study include that there is no significant relationship between parental socio-economic background and students’ academic performance based on sex. It was concluded that socio-economic background of parents such as education, occupation and cultural values significantly influence on students’ academic performance in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The study recommended among others that the government should introduce policies and scholarship schemes aimed at supporting students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Such initiatives would help to reduce financial barriers that limit students’ access to quality education and, consequently, improve their academic performance

This study was designed to ascertain the Prevalence of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders amongst Undergraduates’ Students in public universities using the University of Benin as the case study. Five (5) research questions were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study deals with undergraduate full time students in the faculty of Education in the University of Benin, which is made up of 8 departments sparsely divided across Ugbowo and Ekehuan Campus of the institution while the respondents were two hundred (200) students randomly selected from four (4) departments in the faculty of education. The research instrument for the study was a Questionnaire titled: The Prevalence of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders Amongst Undergraduates Students Questionnaire (TPEBDAUSQ). The instrument which was distributed to the respondents and collected immediately after completion from respondents. Findings revealed that emotional and behavioral disorders are prevalent among undergraduate education students at the University of Benin, with isolation stemming from past sexual assault and anxiety due to strike actions being notable emotional issues. On the behavioral front, common disorders include examination malpractice, poor class attendance, disrespect towards lecturers, procrastination, and difficulty concentrating in class. Contributing factors to these disorders include a short academic calendar, challenging lecturers, family distress, and a heavy academic workload. Despite the presence of a Guidance and Counseling Unit at the University of Benin, it has not fully achieved its objectives in addressing these issues effectively. To combat this, the university should enhance awareness of the unit's importance in tackling emotional and behavioral disorders among students, thereby fostering a supportive environment for their well-being and academic success. It was recommended that to enhance to address emotional and behavioral disorders among undergraduate education students at the University of Benin, it's crucial to enhance support services such as counseling and guidance, ensuring they are readily accessible and well-promoted within the university community. Additionally, implementing measures to improve lecturer-student relationships, reduce academic stressors, and foster a culture of respect and inclusivity can contribute to a healthier and more conducive learning environment.

The study investigated the Influence of guidance and Counselling Service on the career
choice of female secondary school student in Edo State. To achieve the purpose of the study 5 research questions were raised and answered. The descriptive survey research method was adopted for the study. The sample for the study comprised 150 female students, with 50 students selected from each of the three secondary schools in Egor, redo and Ikpobahoka local government area of Edo state. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics, precisely mean and standard deviation. The research instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Influence of Guidance and Counselling Services on Career Choice Questionnaire (IGCSCCQ).” The constructed questionnaire for the study was presented to the project Supervisor to confirm for content validity. The cronbrach Alpha method was used to determine reliability of the instrument. The questionnaire was administered to a group of 20 respondents which were not part of the population. A cronbrach Alpha coefficient Of .832 was obtained, this shows that the instrument was reliable. The study investigate the influence of guidance and Counselling services on the career choice of female secondary school students in Edo state To achieve the purpose of the study 5 research questions were raised and answered. The descriptive survey research method was adopted for the study. The sample for the study comprised 150 female students, with 50 students selected from each of the three secondary schools in Egor, 9 Oredo and Ikpobahoka local government area of Edo state. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics, precisely mean and standard deviation. The research instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Influence of Guidance and Counselling Services on Career Choice Questionnaire (IGCSCCQ).” The constructed questionnaire for the study was presented to the project Supervisor to confirm for content validity. The cronbrach Alpha method was used to determine reliability of the instrument. The questionnaire was administered to a group of 20 respondents which were not part of the population. A cronbrach Alpha coefficient Of was obtained. This shows that the instrument was reliable. The findings revealed that guidance and counselling services play a significant role in improving students’ career awareness and decision-making. Students who received counselling reported greater confidence in choosing career paths aligned with their interests and strengths. Additionally, guidance counsellors were found to be instrumental in providing career information, yet the study identified various challenges affecting the effectiveness of career counselling services, such as a lack of trained counsellors, high student-to- counsellor ratios, and limited career resources. The study recommend that Career guidance should be fully integrated into the secondary school curriculum, with structured counselling sessions held regularly. This will ensure that students receive consistent career guidance rather than occasional counselling sessions.

The study was carried out to determine “Gender differences in the psychosocial adjustment of secondary school for single parenting in Egor local government area, population for the study consist of two thousand seven hundred and sixty (2760) SSII students from the 14 public senior secondary schools in Egor local government area of Edo state. the sample size selected for this study is two hundred and seventy six (276) SSII students which is 10% of the total population, selected randomly using simple random sampling technique. The instrument for the study was a question on gender differences in the psychosocial adjustment of secondary school for single parenting in Egor Local Government Area . To ensure the reliability of the instrument, the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient was used in and a co-efficient value of 0.89 was obtained. The data collected were analyzed using PPMC statistics. Findings from the study revealed that; Female students from single-parent households tend to exhibit better academic performance compared to their male counterparts, male students from single-parent households experience higher levels of emotional distress or behavioral problems compared to their female counterparts, Female students are more likely to seek and receive social support from peers, teachers, and extended family members compared to male students. This gender difference in social support networks could contribute to variations in psychosocial adjustment, with females potentially demonstrating greater resilience, the following recommendations were made; There should be tailored support programmes targeting gender-specific needs: Recognize that male and female students may experience different psychosocial challenges due to single parenting. Implement support programmes that address these unique needs, whether it's mentorship for boys or empowerment workshops for girls, There should be regular gender-sensitive counseling sessions: Introduce regular counseling sessions within schools that are sensitive to gender differences. These sessions can provide a safe space for students to discuss their concerns, explore coping strategies, and build resilience in the face of psychosocial challenges.

This study was designed to investigate the influence of study habits and peer pressure on academic performance among university students. Two research questions were raised to guide the study. The questions raised and examined include: What is the influence of study habits on the academic performance of university students? What is the influence of peer pressure on the academic performance of university students? The study adopted a correlational survey research design to examine the relationship between study habits, peer pressure, and academic performance among university students. The population of this study consists of 323 students in the Department of Educational Evaluation and Counselling Psychology (EECP), Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City. The population comprises students across all levels as follows: 400 level – 47, 300 level – 81, 200 level – 89, and 100 level – 106. The sample size of 100 was considered adequate and manageable for effective data collection, analysis, and generalization of findings within the department. The main instrument for data collection in this study was a structured questionnaire. The reliability of the instrument was determined using the Cronbach Alpha method to measure the internal consistency of the items. The questionnaire was administered once to a group of 200-level students who were not part of the study sample. The analysis produced a reliability coefficient of 0.82, indicating that the instrument was reliable and internally consistent for data collection. The data collected for this study were analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as mean and standard deviation, to answer the research questions. Findings from the study indicates that students agreed that study habits significantly influence their academic performance. It was also discovered that peer pressure plays a vital role in shaping students’ attitudes toward learning and achievement. From the study it was recommended that students should be encouraged to develop and maintain positive study habits such as effective time management, regular reading, goal setting, and consistent class preparation. It was also recommended that the University of Benin should also organize study skills workshops to help students improve their learning strategies