RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEVELOPMENTAL GUIDANCE AND EXTRACURRICULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BADAGRY, LAGOS STATE

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between developmental guidance and extracurricular physical activity participation among secondary school students in Badagry, Lagos State. A cross-sectional correlational research design was adopted. The population comprised 400 students enrolled in selected secondary schools in the study area, from which a sample of 200 students was selected through a multistage sampling procedure across five schools. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that measured three dimensions of developmental guidance: academic guidance, personal-social guidance and career guidance, as well as students' extracurricular physical activity participation. The instrument was subjected to face and content validation by experts, while a pilot study involving 30 students from schools outside the study area established satisfactory internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of .79 to .84. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed significant positive relationships between academic guidance and extracurricular physical activity participation, r(198) = .386, p = .001; personal-social guidance and extracurricular physical activity participation, r(198) = .452, p = .001; and career guidance and extracurricular physical activity participation, r(198) = .341, p = .001. The study concluded that developmental guidance was significantly associated with students' participation in extracurricular physical activities. It was recommended that secondary schools should integrate physical activity promotion into academic, personal-social and career guidance programmes and strengthen collaboration between school counsellors and physical and health education teachers to promote holistic student development.