Belief in Counselling Effectiveness, Academic Self-concept as Correlates of Academic Help-Seeking Behavior among College Students

Abstract

Effective counseling services enable students to the habit of requesting further help and develop a positive academic self-concept that further helps develop wellbeing and mental wholeness that results in academic excellence. Aim: understanding students' academic self-concept, academic help-seeking behaviors and beliefs towards belief in counseling effectiveness. It also describes the relationship between study variables. Methods: Based on a descriptive survey research design, a self-reported closed-ended questionnaire was administrated to 182 randomly selected college students at Sekota, Ethiopia. Analysis was made by using mean scores, standard deviation, independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation and multiple regression coefficients. Results: Independent-sample t-test revealed that male students' average scores were found to be significantly higher than female students' average scores in academic self-concept, help-seeking behavior and belief in counseling effectiveness. Correlation analysis confirmed that academic help-seeking behavior, belief in counseling effectiveness and academic self-concept is significantly correlated with one another. In this study, it was further found that 36% of the variance in academic help-seeking behavior can be accounted for by the variance of academic concept and belief in counseling service effectiveness. The overall regression was statistically significant, F (2, 179) = 51.28, R²=.36. The independent contribution of predictor variables, the variance of belief in the effectiveness of counseling has significantly greater contributor as compared to academic self-concept to the variance of academic help-seeking behavior. Conclusion: Hence, enhancement projects on academic self-concept and female students’ belief in the effectiveness of counseling services should be taken as an agenda by teachers, college administrators, academic advisors and counselors.

Keywords: Academic Self-Concept; Help-seeking behavior; Belief; Counselling Effectiveness

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-19-01

Publication date:July 31^st 2021