Attitude of Ghanaian University Students Towards Online Counselling

Abstract

Online counselling is a complement to the traditional face-to-face approach to counselling. Experts in counselling, however, strongly believe that before online counselling is introduced, it is necessary to ascertain its potential utilization by clients. This study, therefore, investigated the attitude of Ghanaian students towards online counselling using the descriptive survey design. Two research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study comprised all regular undergraduate students in the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. A sample of 600 students made up of 360 males and 240 females was used. Proportional stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques were employed. Two online counselling attitude scales were used to source for data. The data were analysed using means, standard deviations and independent samples t-test. The study revealed that respondents’ attitude towards online counselling was both positive and negative. The study also found that although both male and female students expressed positive attitude towards online counselling, females expressed a more positive attitude towards online counselling than their male counterparts. Similarly, both genders demonstrated negative attitude towards online counselling, but males showed a more negative attitude towards online counselling as compared to their female counterparts. However, no significant differences were found in students’ attitudes towards online counselling on the basis of gender. A major implication of the findings was that students have the potential to utilise online counselling, since they demonstrated positive attitude towards online counselling. Based on the findings, it was recommended that counsellors should introduce online counselling to complement the traditional face-to-face approach to counselling. Again, counsellors should educate students on the benefits of online counselling so as to reduce their negative attitude towards online counselling.

Keywords: Online counselling; positive attitude; negative attitude; university students