Dr Olufowoke Mary Oyeyipo
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine school-based counselling and risky lifestyle behaviours among senior secondary school students in Ikom Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was guided by two hypotheses. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. A sample of three hundred and twenty-five (325) respondents were randomly selected for the study. A questionnaire, validated by two experts, was used for data collection. The reliability estimate of the instruments was established through Cronbach Alpha reliability methods. The reliability coefficient ranges from 0.73 – 0.83 which was high. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Analysis was the statistical analyses technique adopted to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The results revealed that school-based behavioural counselling, social counselling significantly relate with students’ risky lifestyle behaviours. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended, among others, that the Cross River State Secondary Education Board should set up a monitoring framework to assess the effectiveness of school-based counselling programmes. This will help identify what works and what needs improvement, ensuring that counselling services truly serve as a preventive measure against risky behaviours.