Student Demographic Factors on Perception of The Influence of Guidance and Counselling and School Adjustment in Keiyo North Sub-County, Kenya.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate student demographic factors on perception of the influence of guidance and counseling and school adjustment in Keiyo North Sub-County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: to determine gender type and students’ perceptions on the influence of guidance and counselling on school adjustment, school type and students’ perceptions on the influence of guidance and counselling on school adjustment and class level and students’ perceptions on the influence of guidance and counselling services on their overall school adjustment. The study was guided by the self-perception theory. The ontology was pragmatism and the epistemology was realism. The research method was mixed method. The research design was ex post-facto, random sampling and stratified techniques were applied. A sample of 21 schools and 367 out of the 8001 students in the sub-county secondary schools were selected. A further, 16 participants were purposively selected (one from each class level of the type of school). Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The hypotheses were tested at a significance level of 0.05. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The major finding of the study was that female students had a higher mean perception (3.6391, SD .06308) than the male students (3.4000 SD .07159). The study concluded that consistency and competence in provision of guidance and counselling services is wanting in secondary schools in the sub-county. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that since there exists’ significant differences in demographic factors on students’ perceptions on the influence of guidance and counselling on their school adjustment, there was need to address the challenges and shortcomings that exist in the provision of guidance and counselling, and encourage the male students to participate in guidance and counselling activities.