DEPARTMENT O F EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION AND COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY

The purpose of this study is to investigate punishment and reward as correlates on discipline among senior secondary school students, and punishment and reward on discipline by sex and age.It also discusses on the importance of this study to parents, teachers, school administrators and students in Ovia-North East Local government in Edo State. The Study adopted the descriptive research design with the population consisting of 4,807 senior secondary schools from the 28 senior secondary
schools in the local government. A sample of 100 students were selected using multi stage sampling technique to select 5 schools from the 28 schools on Ovia-North East Local government,the study used questionnaires for data collection instrument and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to establish the relationship between punishment and reward on discipline
among senior secondary school students.To test the reliability of the instrument, the Cronbach Alpha Statistics was used.The reliability of the study was .869.Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency count and simple percentage. The findings revealed that both rewards and punishments play significant roles on discipline among senior secondary school students in Edo state. Rewards, particularly intrinsic ones like praise and recognition, were found to be effective in motivating students and promoting discipline as well as punishment.

This study examined the influence of parent-student communication on the emotional well-being of students in public universities in Edo State, Nigeria. The purpose was to determine how the frequency, quality, and styles of parent-student communication affect students’ emotional well- being.. Four research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised all undergraduate students of the University of Benin, while the sample consisted of 300 and 400-level students drawn from all 15 faculties. A structured questionnaire titled The Impact of Parent-Student Communication and Emotional Well-Being Questionnaire (TIPSCEWQ) was used for data collection, which had a reliability coefficient of 0.825. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-sample t-tests to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that frequent, open, and supportive communication between parents and students significantly enhances emotional well-being, while harsh and authoritarian styles have negative effects. It was recommended that parents adopt supportive communication, maintain regular contact, and utilize digital media to strengthen relationships with their children

This study assessed the influence of school counsellors' empathetic orientation on students' willingness to seek help in Delta State secondary schools. Seven research questions guided the study, and seven hypotheses were tested. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The population consisted of one thousand two hundred and sixty-six (1,266) Senior Secondary School One (SS1) students in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State. The sample comprised one hundred and fifty (150) senior secondary school one students selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure, involving simple random sampling of 10 schools out of 24 public senior secondary schools in the area, and random selection of 15 students from each of the selected schools. The instrument used to collect data was a questionnaire titled "School Counsellors' Empathetic Orientation Scale (SCEOS)" adapted from the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory
(BLRI), which was developed in 1962. The face and content validity of the instrument were ascertained by three lecturers from the Department of Educational Evaluation and Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City, and a Cronbach Alpha Statistics was used to obtain a reliability coefficient value of 0.882. The data collected were analyzed using Inferential Statistics, specifically Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The findings of the study showed that there is a significant relationship between active listening, emotional validation, perspective-taking, empathetic concern, and open-ended
questioning techniques used by school counsellors and students' willingness to seek help in Delta State secondary schools. Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between non-verbal communication and cultural sensitivity by school counsellors and students' willingness to seek
help in Delta State secondary schools. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that school counsellors should prioritize developing their empathetic skills to enhance students' willingness to seek help.

The study investigated parental influence on youth involvement in ritualism within Egor
Local Government Area, Edo State. A descriptive survey design was employed to examine the relationships between parental factors and youth behavior without manipulation. The research focused on how parental guidance, education, religious beliefs, and socio-economic status impact youths’ engagement in ritualism. A structured
questionnaire was used to collect data from 100 respondents, including community
members, leaders, law enforcement agents, and policymakers. The study ensured the validity and reliability of the instrument through expert review and the Cronbach Alpha method, which produced a coefficient of 0.821, confirming its consistency. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to interpret the extent of parental influence on youth involvement in ritualism. The findings revealed that parental influence plays a crucial role in shaping youth behavior, as guidance, discipline, and awareness of children's activities were seen as
effective in reducing involvement in ritualism. The level of parental education affected
how parents addressed peer pressure, provided moral guidance, and managed risks, while
religious beliefs influenced youth behavior through moral teachings and spiritual activities. Socio-economic status was also found to be a determining factor, as financial stability, access to healthcare, and community participation contributed to reducing youth engagement in ritualism. The study further identified that parenting styles and1involvement in education were key elements in guiding youth away from ritualistic
practices. Based on the findings, it was recommended that parents provide structured guidance and discipline while being actively involved in their children's education and social
interactions. Educational programs should be designed to equip parents with strategies for
addressing peer pressure and instilling moral values. Religious institutions should encourage parental participation in religious activities to reinforce ethical teachings. Additionally, policies that improve socio-economic conditions, such as financial literacy and job stability initiatives, should be implemented to create a supportive environment for youth. Community-based programs should promote parental involvement in social activities, as exposure to positive societal values can further discourage youth from
engaging in ritualism. Based on these findings, the study recommends that parents adopt
structured guidance and discipline strategies to mitigate their children's exposure to ritual
practices. Educational programs should emphasize the importance of moral guidance, risk
management, and parental involvement in social networks. Religious institutions should
encourage parents to actively engage in faith-based activities and communicate moral values consistently. Policies aimed at improving socio economic conditions, such as access to healthcare, financial literacy programs, and job stability initiatives, should be implemented to create a more supportive environment for youth. Community-based programs should also promote parental involvement in social activities, fostering exposure to positive societal influences that deter youth from engaging in ritual practices.

This study assessed the performance of senior secondary school students in Economics as a school subject in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Two research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. The study specifically examined the assessment techniques utilized in assessing students and the students’ academic performance in Economics. A survey research design was adopted for the study on a population of 1,981 senior secondary school students in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. The sample size was 283 collected from nine public secondary schools. Data were collected from a representative sample of students with a face-validated structured performance records sheets. The instrument was not subjected to reliability computation because it was a checklist naturalistic in nature which does not require the establishment of reliability index before usage. Data ⁴were collected independently from Economics teachers records. Mean and Analysis of variance statistics were utilized to analyzed collected data.

This study was designed to examine the influence of home background on the career choice of secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Utilizing survey methods and structured questionnaire, the research was aimed at the influence a child's home background would have on his choice of career. To guide the study, four research questions were raised and four hypothesis formed. The study adopted the descriptive research design to carry out the study. The population of the study consists of all secondary school students in public schools in Egor local government area. A total number of 1,225 from the 11 secondary schools in Egor local government area of Edo State make up the population. The sample for the study was (100) one hundred students which were randomly sampled from the total population of students. The instrument for data collection is a questionnaire titled ‘Impact of home background on Career Choice of Secondary School Students Questionnaire (IHBSCSQ)’. The instrument was validated by the researcher’s project supervisor and two (2) other experts in the Department of Educational Evaluation and Counselling Psychology. To ascertain the reliability of the instrument, it was administered to 20 respondents who were not originally part of the sample under study. The data collected were subjected to internal consistency using the Cronbach Alpha Statistics and a reliability coefficient of 0.65 was obtained. This shows that the instrument was highly reliable for the study. The instrument was administered by the researcher and was analyzed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Statistics. The finding revealed that while home environment have great influence, it's impact is generally perceived as positive and negative. A supportive and encouraging home environment can promote self confidence and ambition, thereby having a positive influence on the students choice of career. Finding also revealed that socioeconomic status, parental occupation, and educational level determines a child's choice of career. Influencing factors such as Personal factors, parental, environment, educational, peer pressure , they do significantly affect careers choice within the study population. The study offers practical recommendations for strengthening home background, emphasis was laid on early training, effective guidance and counseling to be given to students to help them make wise choice of career, which will enable them to make informed career choices irrespective of their home background.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of guidance and counseling services on the career choice of students in tertiary institutions, using the University of Benin, Benin City. In carrying out this research work, seven research questions were raised, research question one was answered while research questions 2-7 were hypothesized. The study is essentially correlation survey research design. The random sampling techniques was used to select a sample size which consisted of 300 students which were from five different faculties in the University of Benin. A questionnaire titled Influence of Guidance and Counselling Services on the Career Choices of Students in Tertiary Institutions (IGACSCCSTI) Adapted from Fischers and turners (1970) testing was used to elicit responses from the respondents. Descriptive Statistices was used to determine the reliabity of the instrument using the Cronbach’s Alpha reliability method. Mean and Standard Deviation was used to analyze the research questions, simple statistics, frequency and percentage was used to analyze the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Two sample independent t-test, one-way anova, one-way post hoc, pearson product moment correlation was used to analyze hypotheses one to five. Findings of the study reported that guidance and counseling services has an influence on the career choices made by students in tertiary institutions. The study revealed that there is a relationship parental educational background and the career choices made by student. The study also revealed that there is a relationship between parental expectations and the career choices made by student. The study also revealed that the relationship between the general influence of guidance and counseling services and the specific influence of the parental educational background is significant. The study also revealed that the relationship between the general influence of guidance and counseling services and the specific influence of parental expectations is not significant. The study also revealed that there is a relationship between age of students and the career choice that they make. It is expected that this study will provide a new perspective of how the students view guidance and counseling services and equip them with the knowledge of its importance and influence. The study recommended that government agencies should create place the guidance and counseling programme as part of the normal school curriculum because it will be a source of enlightenment to students at all levels in teaching them on making informed career decisions, parents should as a matter ix visit counseling clinics for knowledge as it will help them bridge the gap between their children and themselves and also assist them to develop coping mechanism.

This study was designed to investigate the influence of Early Marriage on the Educational Attainment of Adolescents in Ovia North East Local Government. To achieve the purpose intended for the study, four research questions were raised to guide the study, a survey research design was used, and the population of the research was made up of all the public junior secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government. Two hundred (200) students, twenty-five (25) teachers were selected from four public junior secondary schools using simple random sampling techniques and a questionnaire served as the research instrument. The reliability was correlated using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Statistical to determine its reliability of 0.75 reliability index was obtained. The data collated were analyzed using mean and a mean bench mark of 2.50, simple percentage, tables, etcetera. The results obtained from the analysis were quite revealing and instructive. At the end of the study the findings revealed that there is a Relationship Between Early Marriage and Educational Attainment in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. This is hinged on the fact as agreed by the respondents that; Early marriage negatively impacts educational attainment, Early marriage limits opportunities for educational advancement, there is a correlation between early marriage and lower educational attainment, delaying marriage cannot lead to higher educational achievements and Societal norms regarding marriage influence educational decisions. It is suggested that putting in place gender-sensitive laws and initiatives that support equal access to education for both sexes while simultaneously removing societal and financial constraints that can disproportionately impede girls' educational opportunities is one way to help with this.

This study was designed to address the challenges facing children with Hearing Impairment andits impact on their educational achievement among children in special schools in OredoL.G.A. EdoState.The study adopted a descriptive survey. The total population of special teachers in OredoL.G.Ais(10) teachers from Eight (8) schools for special needs children, random schools in the sampledarea. Atotal number of 150 teachers made up the population of the study. The randomsampling techniquewasused to select the respondents for this study. The research instrument for the study was a Questionnairetitled: “The effect of hearing impaired in educational achievement”, which was distributedtorespondents and collected immediately after completion from respondents. The simple percentageandmean score was used in computing the responses of the questionnaire items. To account forthereliability of the study, the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used whichgaveavalue of 0.566. At the end of the study, The findings indicate a positive perception amongrespondentsregarding the provision of various services such as counseling, placement services, assistive technology,interpreting, auditory amplification, and parental counseling and training. Children withhearingimpairment are provided with these services, and they play a significant role in assisting andimprovingthe challenges faced by children with hearing impairment and also improves the impact affectingtheireducational achievements.

Education is one of the fundamental means of development globally. It improves the quality of people's lives, helps to cultivate the right attitude and values and leads to broad social benefits for individuals and the society. The education system in Nigeria encompasses three different sectors: basic education (nine years), post-basic/senior secondary education (three years), and tertiary education (four to six years, depending on the program of study)