IMPACT OF COUNSELLING INTERVENTION ON THE PSYCHOSOCIAL WELL-BEING OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THEIR PECULIAR INDIGENOUS ENVIRONMENT, MAKOKO, LAGOS

Abstract

The challenges posed by the adverse environmental pollution cannot be overestimated especially as regards its impact on the resilience and psychosocial well-being of the residents. There is no disputing the fact that as murky and waterlogged as the Makoko environment is, it is the children’s indigenous environment. This paper investigated the impact of group counselling on the resilience and psychosocial well-being of Makoko school children in their peculiar indigenous environment. It examined the children’s perception of their environment as well as their attitude towards the inclement pollution with reference to their level of resilience and interpersonal relationship. The study adopted the quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test research design. Intact classes were used for the study. A researcher-made questionnaire was used by the researchers to gather data to test the two null hypotheses. A total of 106 randomly selected school children participated in the study. Paired sample t-test statistical tool was used to determine the level of resilience and interpersonal relationship of the participants. Results showed that group counselling impacted significantly on their level of resilience and interpersonal relationship. The study recommends regular counselling interventions to enhance the rapid growth, development and psychosocial well-being of Makoko school children in their indigenous environment.