Ibuebue Sarah Namo & Dr Grace Onyowo Ugboha
Abstract
This study investigated the counselling needs of couples straggling with marital instability in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was employed, with a population of 2,500. The study has a sample size of 200 couples selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. The Marital Instability and Counselling Needs Survey (MICNS) was used to collect data on the counselling needs and experiences of couples. The validity of the instrument was established by three experts in Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, and Research, Measurement and Evaluation units in Educational Foundations Department, University of Jos. A test-re-test method was adopted to establish a reliability coefficient of 0.97. The findings revealed that couples in Jos Metropolis experience various forms of marital instability, including communication problems, conflict, and infidelity. The study also identified the counselling needs of couples, including relationship education, conflict resolution, and emotional support. It was recommended among others that relationship education programmes should be developed by counsellors to promote healthy communication and conflict resolution skills among couples.