UTILIZATION OF E-COUNSELLING IN SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATES OF UNIVERSITIES IN KEBBI AND SOKOTO STATES

ASTRACT

The  study  investigated  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in  social  and   academic adjustments  among  undergraduates  of  Universities  in  Kebbi  and  Sokoto  States, Nigeria. Descriptive research design was adopted for the study, six research questions and four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study comprised of 4275 first year and final year  undergraduates of Faculty of Education selected  from  two  Universities  in  Kebbi and  Sokoto  States  where  guidance  and counselling   services   were   in   operation.   The   sample   of   the   study  was   427 undergraduate students of Faculty of Education in the selected Universities for the study. The sampling technique instrument that was used for data collection for the study  was  titled   “E-Counselling   Utilization   and  Social/Academic   Adjustments Questionnaire”.   The  instrument   was  validated  by  experts  from  Guidance  and Counselling  and  Measurement   and  Evaluation,   all  from  Faculty  of  Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The instrument was trial tested with 30 undergraduates in  Kaduna State. Cronbach Alpha Statistics was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument and the overall reliability indices of 0.75 was obtained. Four hundred and twenty seven copies of the questionnaire were administered to the respondents  by the researcher  with  the  help  of two  research assistants.  The  data collected  were  analysed  using  mean,  standard  deviation  and  t-test  statistics.  The results  obtained  indicated  that  the  extent   e-counselling   was  utilized  in  social adjustment among undergraduates was high; the extent e-counselling was utilized in academic  adjustment  among  undergraduates  was  low;  there  was  significant  mean difference in the utilization of e-counselling in social and academic adjustment among male and female undergraduates and among first year and final year undergraduates. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended, among others that e-counselling facilities should be made available in Kebbi and Sokoto States Universities to enable the  undergraduates  to make adequate utilization of e-counselling services in social and academic adjustments. Also, counsellors should be provided with more and stable facilities to enhance more opportunities for e-counseling with the undergraduates.

CHAPTER ONE

Background to the Study

INTRODUCTION

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There   is   an   expansion   in   the   world   of   Information   Communication Technology (ICT) today, making the use of computer d1evices in nearly all aspects of human activities necessary.   In fact, there is hardly any activity of life in the world today that does not involved the use of computer device, including telephone lines, availability of cellular coverage, and other  forms of electronic transmission of data including  internet  (Nwachukwu,  Ugwuegbulam  &  Nwazue,  2014).  According  to Annual Global ICT data and ICT Development (2014), internet use continues to grow steadily,  at  6.6%  globally  in  2014  (3.3%  in  developed  countries,  8.7%  in  the developing world); the number of Internet users in developing countries has doubled in five  years (2009-2014),  with two  third  of all people  online  now  living in the developing world. This shows that the increase in the aforementioned  cellular  data coverage is apparent, as many users have multiple subscriptions, with global growth figures sometimes translating into little real improvement in the level of connectivity of  those  at  the  very  bottom  of  the  pyramid;  an  estimated  450  million  people worldwide  live  in  places  which  are  still  out  of  reach  of  mobile  cellular  service (Annual Global ICT data and ICT Development, 2014).

The gap between the access to the internet and mobile coverage has decreased substantially  in  the  last  fifteen  years  and  the  new  data  show  ICT  progress  and highlight remaining gaps and there is evidence that ICT is usable  even in the rural areas ICT Facts and Figures (The world in 2015). Thus, ICT continues to take on new forms, with no technology set to usher in a new wave of ICT electronics and gadgets. ICT newest editions into the modern electronic world include smart watches, such as the Apple Watch, smart wristbands such as the Nike+ Fuel Band, and smart TVs such

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as Google  TV.  With desktops  soon  becoming  part of a bygone  era,  and  laptops becoming the preferred method of computing. ICT continues to  insinuate  and alter itself in the ever-changing globe.

However, ICT has impact on nearly every aspect of lives – from working to socializing, learning to playing. The digital age has transformed the way young people communicate,  network, seek help, access information  and learn. Young  people are now accessing internet and engaging in online communications through a variety of means  such  as  computers,  smart  tablets  and  electronic  pads  (Reggio,  2015). The author also  observed  that  it is widely recognized  that  learners  are motivated  and purposefully   engaged   in  the   learning   process   when   concepts   and   skills   are underpinned with technology and sound pedagogy. Therefore, ICT plays vital role in educational needs of individuals.

In many countries, the role of ICT is linked to issues of educational attainment and the importance of ICT for advancing robust learning strategies on the side of the students.  It is also  used  as a tool for  the support of  personalization  strategies  in teaching and learning (Kozma, 2008). ICT can also be used to increase visualization and variation in many subjects. As a greater proportion of our homes are linked to the Internet,  the  role  of  ICT  in  home/  school  access  is  now  being  exploited.  Many children start to use ICT at an early age, and the home and the family are, in many cases, an arena for the initial acquisition of digital skills. In addition, Kozma (2008) has identified important reasons for investing in ICT for education which include: to support  economic  growth mainly by developing  human capital and increasing  the productivity of the workforce; to promote social development by sharing knowledge, fostering cultural creativity, increasing democratic participation, improving access to government  services  and enhancing  social cohesion; to  advance  education  reform, major curriculum  revisions,  shifts  in pedagogy  or  assessment  changes;  to support

educational  management  and accountability,  with an emphasis  on  computer-based testing and the use of digital data and management  systems, as  well as supportive programme  such  as  counselling  (Kozma,  2008).    According  to  Onuekwusi  and Onuekwusi (2010), the use of computer devices appear to be more pronounced in the field  of  education  as  it  is  used  in  teaching,  learning,  evaluation  processes  and counselling.

The use of computer devices like phone and laptops tablets among others. for counselling in Nigeria should not be a ‘taboo’ or an exception as this has long been functioning in advanced countries. Distance communication between a counsellor and a client is not a new concept as the great psychologist; Sigmund Freud utilized letters extensively to communicate with his clients in his time (Nwachukwu, Ugwuegbulam

& Nwazue, 2014). American Counselling Association  (ACA, 2014)  acknowledged ICT  in  counselling   as  pivot  for  educational   growth  and   advancement.   Thus, Counsellors actively attempt to understand the evolving nature of the profession with regard to distance counselling, technology, and social media and how such resources may be used to better serve their clients. They strive to become knowledgeable about these resources (American Counselling Association –ACA, 2014).

Every sound profession looks for and welcomes new innovations  into  their field  for  the  welfare  of  their  service  consumers  all over  the  world.  Internet  has brought a lot of innovations in the world today such as e-learning and e-counselling. Today, people who have interest can now access education especially that of tertiary through  what  is  called  e-learning.  Therefore,  a  consumer  of  education  can  be anywhere and at any time access education that  enhances their development. In the same  vein,  professional  counsellors  can  embrace  e-counselling  as one of the best practices   in  the  development   of   counselling   practice   in  under-developed   and developing countries for the benefit of the services’ consumers who may not be able

to  get  their  services  due  to  geographical  location,  time  and  any  other  problem (Uzoekwe, Obika, & Obineli, 2012). In Nigeria for instance, everyone  is becoming conversant  with  cellular  phones  and  their  associated  text  messages,  email  and subsequently becoming computer literate and many need counselling.

The term,  counselling  according  to Okorodudu,  (2010)  refers to a  process involving  a  professionally  trained  individual  in  the  application  of  psychological principles and practices  in assisting  individuals  and groups to  cope with their  life adjustment   needs   in   the   society.   Okoye,   (2008)   defined   a   counsellor   as   a professionally trained person who help others solve their problems for now and in the future. According  to Nwachukwu  (2008),  Counselling,  is a formal and systematic process of organized services offered in the school system to help an individual know and develop his potentials to the  fullest, thereby consciously acquiring proper self- knowledge,  understanding  of  self and  situation  and skills for appraisal  of self-in- situational relation, for  appropriate  decision and action, in education,  the world of work and the  society. This broad definition of counselling covers both school and university settings. It presents guidance and counselling as a programme that enable students  make  right  adjustment  in  the  university.  Thus,  counselling  denotes  a relationship between a concerned counsellor and a person with a need.  Counselling relationship  is usually person-to-person,  although  sometimes  it  may involve  more than two people. It is designed to help people understand and  clarify their views of their life-space, and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through meaningful, well-informed,  choices  and  through  resolution  of  problems  of  an  emotional  or interpersonal nature and can take face-to face format or electronic format (Anwana,

2005; Mmaduakonam, 2008; Ekpo, 2007; Uzoekwe, Obika, & Obineli, 2012).

Face-to-face counselling is the normal conventional counselling that usually takes place at the counsellor’s office or counselling centre and both the counsellor and

the client have physical  access to see each other  while electronic  counselling  (E- counselling) usually involve the use of electronic media in which there is no physical access between the counsellor and the client (Elleven, & Allen, 2004).  E-counselling therefore refers to counselling services that are rendered to clients through the use of internet. This type of counselling through the electronic  platforms includes emails, chat rooms, phone calls and web cameras, among  others. This type of counselling goes by so many names such as cyberspace  counselling,  e-therapy,  e-counselling, online  counselling,   mobile  counselling,   phone  counselling  and  tele-counselling (Elleven, & Allen, 2004).  E-counselling, is an alternative to traditional face to face counselling  and  is  available  to  all students,  including  distance  learners,  those  on placement  and  students  who  have  a  disability  that  makes  it  difficult  to  attend appointments (Oravec, 2000). This variation of counselling differs in that it involves an exchange of emails between the client and the counsellor to help the client scale through  issues  that  may  been  troubling  him  and  affecting  his  everyday  life.  E- counselling is also a preferred method of counselling for those students who are more comfortable  addressing  issues  online  rather  than  face  to  face.  Operationally,  e- counselling refers to a process whereby a counsellor uses electronic media to meet the need of client(s).

Electronic counselling follows the same fundamental principles as face-to-face counselling but uses a electronic medium. It provides individual with an opportunity to explore personal issues in a private setting with a counsellor he may or not have known. Thus, confidentiality  is highly enhanced  in the  e-counselling process more than in the face-to-face  process and a lot of people  recently preferred  undergoing counselling via electronic media (Mallen, & David, Vogel, 2005).

On  this  note,  e-counselling  is  a  confidential  online  service  that   allows individual  to  ask  counsellor  questions  from  the  comfort  and  privacy  of  his own

computer or phone. It is perfect if individual had wanted to talk to a counsellor but was not sure how to  go about  it or were uncomfortable  making  an  appointment. Again, e-counselling provides support for issues affecting students’ study or wellbeing (Mallen, David, & Vogel, 2005). E-counselling has many other merits, according to Kolog (2014),  Uzoekwe,  Obika and Obineli (2012)  and Speyer  and Zack (2010). These include:

Easy accessibility – online counselling has come to fill the unmet need for  clients located  in remote and rural areas that are traditionally under-served  by traditional counsellors.  These  sets  of  people  who  are  not  fortunate  enough  to  be  where counsellors can be seen face to face will meet their needs through online counselling services (Mallen, Mi, Vogel & Rochlen, 2005). Also clients who may have difficulty in reaching appointments during normal business hours  can equally have access to counselling services through online (Change, Yeh, & Krumboltz, 2001). Research by Mallen,  Michael,  Vogel, Rochlen and Day,  (2005) has demonstrated  that disabled persons that need counselling services can benefit from online counselling.

Another  noteworthy  aspect  of  online  counselling  is  its  perceived  privacy. Some individuals still feel shy and afraid to face someone. The counsellor’s physical absence diminishes the client’s initial shame or need to save face while presenting a problem.  Many clients  do appreciate  the  disinheriting  effect  of not being seen in person. The psyche of the client is freed from therapeutic self-reflection in many other ways. The disinheriting effect of not being seen by the counsellor allows the client to easily open up on the core issue. Behind the scenes and static of personalities, social masks are unnecessary. Online counselling has found that text- based self disclosure can have the effect  of inducing a high degree of intimacy and honesty from first exchange of e-mails (Nwachukwu, Ugwuegbulam  & Nwazue, 2014).   Many clients present themselves in a naked way without their usual in-person defenses. The power

differential is diminished as well because both parties are contributing to shared texts. They become  co-architects  of how  the  client  chooses  to build  on or  deconstruct present insights.  The counsellor’s physical absence reduces or even  eliminates the client’s  initial  shame  or  need  to  “save  face”  while  presenting  a  problem.  Some individuals feel that a stigma is attached to visiting a counsellor while some may be phobic, trapped in abusive situations or merely shy and afraid to face someone. It is good for those who feel uncomfortable attending traditional face to face support even though  there  might  be  inhibiting  effects  due  to  power  failure  and  poor  network (Nwachukwu, Ugwuegbulam & Nwazue, 2014).

Client enjoys a certain degree of ownership in the process of e-counselling. This is because client under online counselling is able to set the pace, tone, volume and parameters of self disclosure without threat, positive or negative. The computer screen provides  safety and containment  with its built in  borders.   The client is in control of the send button. The presence and point of view of the author becomes in the re-reading and re-authoring called forth in the course of counselling.  Problem is externalized   while  the  helper  is  internalized.     Through  online  counselling  the presented problem is externalized while the helper is internalized (Allenman, 2002). The client can always re-read, rehearse, and reinforce the solutions and resolutions it contains.  When the client has words to hold onto, hope is established;  clients can carry printouts in their pockets, purses and briefcases. In this way, online counselling becomes an open-ended, ongoing session with healing words accessible at any time (Allenman, 2002).

E-counselling is convenient to use. The electronic method of counselling can either  be  synchronous  or  asynchronous.  Both  parties  (client  and  counsellor)  can access the services anytime and anywhere. Unlike the face-to-face method, clients are not confined to the limits of traditional counselling services. E-counselling is intended

to increase  easy accessibility,  save resources  and decrease frustration.  Life  design development  process is continuous  and must be consistent with the  monitoring of students’ life development (Nwachukwu, Ugwuegbulam & Nwazue, 2014). Thus, e- counselling offers the opportunity for students to access the service anytime including the holidays. In this way counsellors are able to keep in touch while students are far apart.  As  a  result,  e-counselling  makes  it   convenient   for  students  to  contact counsellors in remote areas. E-counselling provides the opportunity for the counsellor and client to arrange and agree on the time of meeting. Having decided on the time for the meeting,  e-counselling  encourages  more control and less time wasted  on non- agenda items. Thus, the  parties are focused on the main agenda for which the time was arranged.

Morality varies from society to society; for instance, homosexuality is widely condemned  in Nigeria while it is even legalized in many parts of the  world. Some students may not withstand the embarrassment and end up committing suicide if their personal secrets are disclosed to the public. Others may never disclose their personal problems even to their closest friends and  therefore find it extremely embarrassing and  difficult  to  disclose  to  a  counsellor.  In  this  regard,  e-counselling  offers  the opportunity for clients to  discuss and share their problems without letting out their identity  to  the  counsellors.  There  are  several  e-counselling  platforms  that  render counselling to client without knowing them. Also, child abuse victims or people who are  facing criminal charges can testify over a video link without fear of being intimidated.

E-counselling is fast becoming a popular model for support for young people, with key national services such as lifeline, kid’s helpline, suicide call back service and headspace adding online counselling to their service provision.   Already numerous studies such as  Elleven and Allen (2004), Gedge (2009), Oravec (2000),  Ricshards

and  Vigano  (2011)  suggest  that  e-counselling,   when  combined  with   cognitive behaviour therapy, can be used effectively on a variety of clinical issues and benefits have been recorded including, accessibility,  convenience,  affordability,  reduction in social stigma and anonymity among others. Thus,  e-counselling  seems to enhance behavioural change making social and academic adjustments easier.

It is important to note that while e-counselling has been considered effective in counselling process, it as also be criticized   because of lack of verbal cues and non verbal cues, difficulties in maintaining confidentiality, security, inadequate electricity supply,  technological   difficulties  and  its  inability  to   guarantee  the  counsellor credibility. The lack of face to face interaction could easily cause misdiagnosis by the therapist.  E-counsellor  is  inappropriate  for  diagnosis  of  clinical  issues  such  as depression  and  psychotic.  E-counselling  provides  help  to  many  who  would  not otherwise  not  receive  it,  especially  for those  travelling  and  relocating  in foreign countries, people with possible language barrier, physically, disable or housebound.

The term adjustment  is often used  as a synonym  for accommodation  and adaptation.  Adjustment  can be defined  as a process of altering one’s  behaviour  to reach a harmonious relationship with their environment. This is typically a response brought about by some type of change that has taken place. The stress of this change causes  one  to  try  to  reach  a  new  type  of  balance  or  homeostasis  between  the individual  (both inwardly and outwardly),  and  with their  environment  (Al-khatib, Awamleh, & Samawi, 2012). It is used to emphasize the individual’s struggle to get along or survive in his or her social and physical environment (Raju & Rahamtulla,

2007).

Social adjustment  is the extent  of adjustment  between the student  and  the surrounding environment (Al-khatib,    Awamleh, & Samawi, 2012).  Similarly, Sax (2000)   defined   social   adjustment   as   successfully   managing   time   effectively,

developing close friendships with other students, and the frequency the student felt, worried  about  meeting  new  people,  isolated  from  campus  life,  and   lonely  or homesick.  This  means  a  harmonious  relationship  with  the  students  and  teachers, proper  understanding  of social  needs,  requirements  and group  goals,  and meeting effectively  to  the  social  requirements  of  the  home,  peer  groups,  culture  and  the community. The author added that social adjustment is individual’s efforts to maintain harmonious relationships with the environment. Also, social adjustment is the process of finding and adopting modes of behaviour suitable to the environment or the change in the environment (Mangle, 2006). Thus, as individuals start school they face new environment with many challenges. Personal challenges occur as individuals take new identity at school.  In this study it is the means of the total degree achieved by the respondent on the items related to social adjustment in the university life adjustment scale.

Social adjustment is an effort made by an individual to cope with standards, values  and  needs  of  a  society  in  order  to  be  accepted.  It  can  be  defined  as  a psychological process. It involves coping with new standard and value. It occurs when an individual is unable to adjust to or cope with a social event like interaction, public speaking,  obedient  to rules and regulations.  (Diagnostic  and Statistical  Manual  of Mental  Disorders,  2013).  Individuals  face  the  challenges  to  adjust  to  the  strange building, new teachers (lecturers), new academic activities, and they need to mix with the new and more diverse group of persons. Hence, the need for academic adjustment arises.

Academic adjustment involves appropriate adaptability to university system. It is a process that is influenced by many factors including personal, familial and social as well as cognitive,  intelligence  and  academic  competence.  As  a matter of fact, academic adjustment  means academic adaptation or  academic adaptability (Ramat-

Gan, 2011). Also, academic  adjustment  means  successfully  understanding  what  is expected  academically,  developing effective study skills, adjusting to the  academic demands of undergraduate students and not feeling intimidated (Sax, 2000). This is important  because  at school,  daily schedule  is more structured,  with more  formal rules. Individuals are faced with large groups of persons of different ages and size and they are confronted  with the  challenges  of making  new  friends  (Fabian,  2000  & Margetts, 2002). Thus, adjustment in university may be difficult.

Adjustment  with University life is one important indicator of the  academic achievement in all university life aspects. Maladjustment among the  students might result  in  poor  academic  performance,  or  dissatisfaction  in  life  and  this  has  the tendency to destabilize the students. Hence, there is always need for students to make certain  adjustments.   For  instance,   year  one  students  see   university  as  a  new environment  that is quite different  from where  they are  coming from in terms of structure, organization, lecture pattern, relationships etc. But as they grow gradually in the academic  environment  they may become  adapted  to the environment.  This means that there may be difference in the adjustment of students based on their level of study.  The  first-year  students  experiences  on campus,  that  is,  interaction  with university  personnel,  familiarity  with campus  layout,  bonding  with other  students prior to the arrival of the other first-year students could impact the first-year student’s perception of their social and academic adjustment (Daniel, 2010).

In a study by Ramat-Gan (2011), students described the first year as a  year that is dedicated mostly to adaptation to the new environment and getting to  know their strategies, skills and methods of functioning in it. As they described it, they were “learning how to learn”. Students dedicated a lot of time to adjusting to the academic demands, learning the rules and norms of university, but also to  their new status as independent grownups. The author found out that first year students were busy with

adjusting  and understanding  what  is happening  around  the campus,  and that  they exhibited  fear,  experiencing  difficulties  and  overcoming  them.  These  experiences could be moderated by the gender of the students.

The  term  gender  differences  refers  to  average  group  differences  between males and females that are presumably based on sexually  monomorphic  (the same between the sexes) biological adaptations-and these group differences are presumed to be due primarily to differential socialization. It is rightly said that women are more personal and emotional in their interests than men, and may face adjustment problem more than men (Mealer, 2000 & Gearlery, 2009). Whatever is the case, the students need to adjust to the standards of the university environment. They need to start a new life that will match with what is obtainable in the university. Of course, starting a new life in a new environment is not an easy task for anybody to do by himself alone. The services  of  professional  counsellors  are  always  needed  to  enable  students  adjust adequately to the university education (Anwana, 2005).

The process of adjustment to campus life is a neutral phase in the maturation process   of  the   individual   and   represents   the   transition   from   dependence   to interdependence or autonomy (McBroon, 1997). Attending university provides a great opportunity  for  self  development,  participation  in  leisure  activities  and  guidance toward  occupation  after  graduation.  This  process  includes  several  components: making friends, inclusion in campus life and social networking and it should not be an exception  in  some  universities.  Literature  shows  that  undergraduate  students  are finding it difficult to adjust and cope with life challenges in the campus and this has increased   the   rate   of   failures,   suicide   thoughts   and   frustrations   among   the undergraduate  students.  This  trend  is  not  different  from  what  is  obtainable  in universities around Kebbi and Sokoto States.

The people of these States (Kebbi and Sokoto) engage deeply in hard labours resulting from agricultural production. As a result, there is a noticeable  adjustment problem especially when they are facing other issues of life like education. As a way of solution,  the  two  universities  identified  for  the  study  introduced  guidance  and counselling programme to help the students make right  adjustment. As a matter of fact, undergraduate students in Kebbi and Sokoto States are finding it difficult to meet counsellors for face-to-face counselling as many of them are engaging in business like farming,  trading  and  office  works.  Apart  from  time  issue,  literature  showed  that undergraduates in this area do not disclose their problems to their best friends and are finding  it  difficult  and  embarrassing  to  discuss  and  share  their  problems  with counsellors face-to-face.  Undergraduates are university students that are undergoing undergraduate  programme  of the university.  University  is an institution  of  higher education. It should be noted also that even though students were to be comfortable with the face-to-face  counselling  approach,  counselling  centres  and  counsellors  in Kebbi and Sokoto States are too small when compared to students that will need help at a time. It would then be difficult for the undergraduate students to be attended to properly base on their needs and problems.

Due to the parenting  religion and cultural  beliefs such as early  marriages, single  parenting,  polygamy,  and  the  almajiri  system  of education;  peculiar  to  the natives coupled with the dynamism and complexity of a formal university academic system, this poses a huge problem to the undergraduate students in Kebbi and Sokoto State who are suddenly thrust into the cut-throat  world of the rigorous  university academic  system  designed  to  presence   sector  scholars  irrespective  of  previous academic  background.  They find  out  if difficult  to  adjust  especially  when  pitted against other undergraduate students with better academic background. This problem is worsened  by the  increasing  marginalization  of the women  as their  freedom  of

movement and expression in strict regulated. This grave societal misconception also affects the male undergraduates as they are afraid of meeting female counsellors has not only hampered  the academic  growth  of the undergraduates  students  buy also shunted  their  budding  potentials.  The  people  of  these  areas  are  predominantly Muslims who practice Islam as a religion or way of life. Here the women generally suffer from gender  disparity or discrimination  as  their freedom of movement  and expression  is regulated  and controlled.  Female  undergraduate  students with severe personal social concern become  scare  of meeting with a male counsellor and male students as well become  afraid of meeting with female counsellors  because of the societal misconception.

It is also observed that the undergraduate students do not have free periods to meet  with  counsellors  face-to-face  and  many  of  them  do  not  like  such  meeting because of prejudices.  Moreover,  counsellors  are placed with heavy  workload  and numerous responsibilities to the extent that they do not have enough time to attend the undergraduate  students’  cases  always.  Therefore,  adopting  electronic  media  for counselling  undergraduate  students  with  social  and  academic  adjustment  problem becomes inevitable especially in digital era like this where almost every individual is depending in internet and electronic media for assistance and help. Thus, this study seeks to investigate the utilization of e-counselling in social and academic adjustment among undergraduate students in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

Statement of the Problem

Ample theoretical and empirical evidences and observations suggest that the world is going global and that some individuals  are no more comfortable  meeting counsellors face-to-face for counselling. There is also evidence that individuals with deep social and academic concerns find it too challenging to open up issues in a face- to-face approach with a counsellor, but find it comfortable to  open up if electronic

approach is being used. There is also evidence that many undergraduates do not have time during the normal working hours of the day to meet counsellor  for  help  but would have time to go into a therapeutic online conversation with counsellor to get solution to their problems and make the necessary adjustment  in the school. Thus, when solution to problems has not been provided, students remain maladjusted.

There   is  observable   adjustment   disorder   (sometimes   called   exogenous, reactive, or situational depression) among university students  recently. This occurs because of the students’ inability to adjust or cope with stressors in the university, like a major life event. Thus, the students show symptoms such as general loss of interest, feelings of hopelessness and crying. Many of them get involved in what is sometimes known as situational depression.

Students get anxious as they adjust to academic, social, personal and lifestyle challenges that the university presents. This is a cause of concern as adjustment to the university environment  is regarded  as an important  factor  in  predicting  university outcomes.   The students deal with the transitional  problems differently. Some deal with adjustment problems constructively while others feel overwhelmed  and fail to cope with life at the  university.  Consequently,  university  students  need  to be re- integrated  socially  and  academically  into  their  academic  processes  through  well thoughts  out  counselling  programme  that  will be  at the students’  convenience.  It appears  that due to the developing  nature of Nigeria,  e-counselling  service  is not adequately understood by all. It appears also that in the institutions of higher learning, adequate attention has not been given to e-counselling and this makes  it look as if somebody that is not willing or able to meet counsellor face-to-face should not have opportunity  to  discuss  issues  with  counsellors.  Perhaps,  the  limited  number  of professional counsellors available in Nigerian institutions may not be able to attend to every student face-to-face. These have raised deep concerns powered by the need for

utilization of e-counselling services in Nigeria. Thus, the problem of this study poses a  question:  What  is  the  extent  of  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in  social  and academic adjustment among undergraduates in Kebbi and Sokoto States?

Purpose of the Study

The  general  purpose  of  this  study  is  to  investigate  the  utilization  of  e- counselling in social and academic adjustments among undergraduates of Universities in Kebbi and Sokoto States. The specific purposes of the study include to:

1.        ascertain  the  extent  of  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in social  adjustment among undergraduates of Universities in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

2.        find out the extent of the utilization of e-counselling in academic  adjustment among undergraduates of Universities in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

3.        ascertain the difference in the utilization of e-counselling in social adjustment among male and female undergraduates of Universities in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

4.        investigate  the  difference  in  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in  academic adjustment  among male and female undergraduates  of  Universities  in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

5.        ascertain the difference in the utilization of e-counselling in social adjustment among first year and final year undergraduates  of Universities  in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

6.        determine  the  difference   in  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in   academic adjustment among first year and final year undergraduates  of  Universities  in Kebbi and Sokoto States.

Significance of the Study

This study has both theoretical and practical significance.  Theoretically,  the study is anchored on social learning approach propounded by Albert Bandura in 1977. Bandura asserted that environment influences behaviour and that individuals learn by observation and modeling. Thus this present study is structured to support Bandura’s view because utilizing e-counselling in social and academic adjustment entails a lot of learning which can be facilitated by observation and modeling. The counselling can present  online  model  to  students  and  can  also  motivate  the  students  to  learn  by observing the model.

Practically,   the   study   will   be   relevant   to   counsellors,   counsellor   educators, undergraduates, university programme planners, government and the general public.

Counsellors would benefit from the study in the sense that the findings of the study will expose them to the usefulness of e-counselling in helping students make adjustment in the university. The findings of the study will be discussed in seminars, workshops and conferences involving counsellors.

Counsellor  educators  will  benefit  from  the  work  because,  based  on  the findings  of the  study,  they  will  fully  incorporate  e-counselling  in  the  counsellor education. This could be on the net. Also, the findings of the study will be discussed in seminars, workshops and conferences. Again, copies of the study will be available at the university libraries and repositories which counsellors and counsellor educators will have access to.

Undergraduate will benefit from the study because they will come to realize the level of their social and academic adjustment  and how e-counselling  can help them to make adequate adjustment in the university. Also, copies of the completed work will be  at the university  libraries  and  repositories  where  students  can have access to them. Again, students that may attend conferences and seminars where the

discussions will reflect the findings of the study will have full information about the findings.

University  programme  planners  will  be  motivated  to  improve  upon  e- counselling services in the universities. Since the copies of the study will be kept in the Department of Educational Foundations, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Libraries and repository, it will be easier for the university planners to recognize and utilize the findings and the recommendations that will be made in the study.

The general public will become aware of the innovation in counselling and are likely going to place much value in counselling if the findings of the study will be discussed in public activities like conferences and seminars.

For the want of reality in the above claim, the study, when completed will be stored in the university repository which the university stakeholders will have access to. The findings  will be referenced  and discussed  in many academic  conferences. Also,  the  study will be summarized  when completed  and publish  in open access journal for the general public to see.

Scope of the Study

This study has both geographical and content scope. Geographically, the study covers the Universities  in Kebbi and Sokoto States. In terms of content,  the study covers  the utilization  of e-counselling  on  social  and  academic  adjustment  among undergraduates   with  consideration  given  to  gender  and   level  of  study  of  the participants.

Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:

1. To what extent do counsellors utilize e-counselling in social adjustment among undergraduates?

2. To  what  extent  do  counsellors  utilize  e-counselling  in  academic  adjustment among undergraduates?

3. What  is  the  mean  difference  in  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in   social adjustment among male and female undergraduates?

4. What  is  the  mean  difference  in  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in  academic adjustment among male and female undergraduates?

5. What  is the  mean  the difference  in the  utilization  of e-counselling  in  social adjustment among first year and final year undergraduates?

6. What  is  the  mean  difference  in  the  utilization  of  e-counselling  in  academic adjustment among first year and final year undergraduates?

Research Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were postulated and will be tested at .05 level of significance.

1.   There will be no statistically significant mean difference in the utilization of e- counselling in social adjustment among male and female undergraduates.

2.   There will be no statistically significant mean difference in the utilization of e- counselling in academic adjustment among male and female undergraduates.

3.   There will be no statistically significant mean difference in the utilization of e- counselling    in   social    adjustment    among   first    year    and   final    year undergraduates.

4.   There will no statistically significant mean difference  in the utilization of  e- counselling   in   academic   adjustment   among   first   year   and   final   year undergraduates.

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