CYBER COUNSELLING, PEER COUNSELLING AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AS CORRELATES OF CAREER AWARENESS AMONG SELECTED IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS DURING POST COVID-19 ERA IN LAGOS NIGERIA

Abstract

 The study examined cyber counselling, peer counselling and parental involvement as correlates of career awareness among in-school adolescents in Lagos. It adopted a descriptive survey research design. A total of 200 students selected using stratified sampling technique, participated in the study. They responded to ‘Career Awareness Predictors Assessment Scaleâ€, comprising of Section A, which centres on respondents’ socio-demographic information, and four other scales; Career Awareness Scale (18 items r=0.71), Cyber Exposure Attitude Scale (10 items, r=0.88), Peer Influence Scale (15 items r= 0.85) and Parental Involvement Scale (16 items, 0.83). All the scales were structured based on five-point likert-scale, except the Cyber Exposure Attitude Scale, which was based on 6-point likert format scale. Three research questions were answered and data were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression. Results revealed that cyber counselling (r = .393; p<0.05); Peer counselling (r = .432; p<.05) and parental involvement (r = .312; p<.05); were significant to the prediction of career awareness. It also revealed that the joint contribution of independent variables (cyber counselling, peer counselling and parental involvement) on dependent variable (career awareness) was significant F (4/197) = 18.95; R2= .474, R2=213 p<.05). About 21.3% variation was accounted for by the independent variables. The most potent factor was peer counselling, followed by cyber counselling, and then parental involvement. It was however recommended that it is important to foster more exposure towards better handling of computers towards effective cyber counselling. Government should make provisions of computer and internet facilities in schools and that the issue of career orientation should be given due attention among students. It is also recommended that well informed students should be trained to serve as peer counsellors for other students. The parents should be more encouraged to enable them play their roles better and more meaningful.