University students' problems, awareness and preferences of counselling resources and attitudes towards seeking help: a case study of Kenyatta University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent and effectiveness of students' counseling resources amongst Kenyan University Students and the effect of sex and year of study of the students on the problems experienced by the students, their awareness and preferences for available counseling resources and their attitudes towards seeking psychological help. In doing so; the study also had two broad objectives, namely: to initiate attempts to collect information on the university community and to contribute to the world of knowledge on university student counseling.

A sample of 300 university students from Kenyatta University was used in this study, the students filling a questionnaire. This questionnaire, the research instrument of the study, addressed areas including problems faced by students, availability and knowledge of help providers, students' counselor preferences and students attitudes towards seeking physiological help. This questionnaire provided data for analysis for 12 Null hypotheses postulated in order to provide a basis for the research work.

The data collected was evaluated by means of the Chi Square test.

Frequency tables and descriptive statistics were also used to present and analyze the data.

The results obtained indicated that the number of problems student experienced was relatively independent of the sex of the student, but showed a definite stratification relating to the year of study. This was the same case as far as awareness of resources and attitudes towards psychological help was concerned. However the significant influence of both, the sex of student and the year of study was noted with respect to the preference of particular help givers.

The study finding indicated that the current counseling services in general need to be increased, and those resources for which students have a high affinity to, should be expanded. It was also recommended that means of increasing student awareness of available resources, and the locations of those resources should be established and developed as well as improvements made on the current awareness promoting methods. Due to the broad nature of the study undertaken, it is recommended that this study be used as a basis for further studies, dwelling in depth on the topics covered herein.