Assessment of the Relationship between Psychosocial and Psychopathological Issues among Senior Secondary School Biology Students in COVID-19 Era: Implications for Counselling

¹Joy Ngozi ,Maduka
² Lasbrey Izuchukwu, Anyiam
³ Nkiruka Elizabeth, Okezie

¹²³Department of Educational Psychology/G&C, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Nigeria.

Abstract

The study assessed the relationship between psychosocial and psychopathological issues among senior secondary school Biology students in Covid-19 era. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study design was correlation survey research design. The sample of the study was drawn from a population of six hundred and ninety (690) Biology students distributed in secondary schools in Owerri Municipal, Imo State. A sample size of 253 Biology students was determined by the researchers using Taro Yamene formula which represents 36.6% of the population and simple random sampling technique was adopted to draw 253 Biology students. Two instruments were used to elicit response. Secondary Students Assessment of Psychosocial Problems Scale (SSAPPS) was developed by the researchers and Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-10 (HSCL-10) was adopted. Two guidance and counselling experts and one Measurement and Evaluation expert face validated Secondary Students Assessment of Psychosocial Problems Scale (SSAPPS). SSAPPS has internal consistency of 0.81 as measured by Cronbach’s alpha. There was no validation and estimation of reliability for Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-10 (HSCL-10) because it was adopted.  SPSS was used to analyze data obtained. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) and Linear regression (LR) were used to answer research questions and to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance respectively. The results of the study revealed high, positive and significant relationship between psychopathological (Anxiety and Depression) issues and anti-social behaviour among senior secondary school Biology students in Covid-19 era. Study also revealed a positive, low and significant relationship between psychopathological (Anxiety and Depression) issues and academic problems among senior secondary school Biology students in Covid-19 era. Based on the result some recommendations were made.

Keywords: Assessment, Psychopathological issues, Psychosocial issues, Anti-social behaviour, Academic problem