Denis M. Kaye, Dr Grace O. Ugboha & Prof Nanram B. Longbap
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of psycho-spiritual counselling on academic stress management among secondary school students in Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State. The target population comprised 364 senior secondary school students. A sample of 25 students was drawn using two intact classes; 12 students were assigned to the experimental group and 13 to the control group. Data were collected using the Academic Stress Management Inventory (ASMI), validated by experts and found to have a reliability coefficient of 0.74. The experimental group received eight psycho-spiritual counselling sessions of 45 minutes each over four weeks, focusing on orientation, stress education, values clarification, cognitive reappraisal, and spiritual coping strategies, while the control group continued with routine counselling. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and ANCOVA. Results indicated that psycho-spiritual counselling significantly enhanced students’ ability to manage academic stress compared to conventional counselling. The intervention explained a substantial proportion of variance in posttest scores, with both male and female students benefiting almost equally. The large effect size confirmed its robustness in promoting resilience and psychological balance. The study concluded that psycho-spiritual counselling is an effective and inclusive strategy for improving academic stress management, and recommended its adoption in school guidance programmes.