Guidance Services and Academic Stress Management of Undergraduate Students of University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between guidance services (information service, orientation service, and counselling service) and academic stress management of undergraduate students of the University of Uyo. Three specific purposes, three research questions, and three null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population of the study consisted of 4,427 year-three undergraduate students of the University of Uyo during the 2025/2026 academic session. A sample size of 543 year-three undergraduate students was selected using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Guidance Services and Academic Stress Management Questionnaire (GSASMQ)” developed by the researchers. The instrument was face-validated by three experts in Guidance and Counselling and Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was established using the Cronbach Alpha statistic, which yielded an overall reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data collected was analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) statistics. The findings revealed that information service had a strong positive significant relationship with academic stress management (r = 0.75, p < 0.05) and orientation service had a moderate positive significant relationship with academic stress management (r = 0.57, p < 0.05), while counselling service had a very strong positive significant relationship with academic stress management (r = 0.88, p < 0.05). Based on the findings, it was concluded that guidance services play significant roles in enhancing academic stress management among undergraduate students. It was recommended, among others, that the management of the University of Uyo should strengthen information services by ensuring that students have regular access to accurate and timely academic, social, and career-related information that can help reduce uncertainty and academic stress.