PARENTAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND COUNSELLING SERVICES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined parental socioeconomic status and counselling services among secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study. The population comprised senior secondary school students in public secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area. A sample of 200 students was selected from four public secondary schools using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using the Influence of Parents’ Socioeconomic Status on Counselling Services Questionnaire. The instrument was validated by experts, while its reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.68. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, specifically mean and standard deviation, to answer the research questions. The findings indicated that respondents reported the provision of various counselling services, including educational information, assistance with course selection, and guidance in making educational decisions. The findings also indicated variations in students’ responses to selected indicators of family socioeconomic circumstances and counselling-service engagement. Based on the findings, the study recommends increased parental awareness of the importance of counselling services and stronger collaboration between parents and school counsellors. Schools should also strengthen counselling programmes to ensure equitable access to counselling services irrespective of students’ socioeconomic background.