Project – The Relationship between Help-Seeking Attitudes and Counselling-Service Utilisation among Undergraduates at the University of Calabar

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

University education involves more than the acquisition of academic knowledge because students encounter academic, social, emotional, interpersonal and developmental challenges throughout their period of study. The transition into university can require students to adjust to new academic expectations, increased independence, unfamiliar social environments and decisions concerning their future careers and personal lives. For some students, these demands may generate difficulties that require professional support. Guidance and counselling services are therefore important components of student support systems because they provide opportunities for students to discuss personal, educational, vocational, emotional and interpersonal concerns with trained professionals. The importance of such services is particularly relevant in contemporary higher education because students may experience psychological difficulties while simultaneously facing barriers to seeking professional assistance. Research among Nigerian university students has shown that counselling services can be accessible to students while actual utilisation remains comparatively low, indicating a gap between the availability of support and students’ willingness to use it (Okunaiya & Omovre, 2021).

Help-seeking attitude refers to the beliefs, perceptions, willingness and predispositions that influence whether an individual is prepared to seek assistance when experiencing a problem. In the university context, help-seeking may involve approaching a professional counsellor, psychologist, student-support officer, lecturer or another recognised source of assistance. Positive help-seeking attitudes may involve recognising the usefulness of professional support, feeling comfortable discussing personal difficulties and believing that counselling can provide meaningful assistance. Negative attitudes may involve reluctance, embarrassment, fear of being judged, preference for handling problems alone or doubts concerning the effectiveness of counselling. Research involving Nigerian university students has demonstrated that psychological factors can predict attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, showing that help-seeking is influenced by more than the mere availability of counselling services (Ojedokun, 2011). More recent research among Nigerian undergraduates has similarly identified help-seeking attitude as an important area of concern in relation to mental-health support (Muhammed et al., 2024).

Counselling-service utilisation, on the other hand, refers to the actual extent to which students access and use counselling services when they experience academic, emotional, social, personal or other difficulties. Utilisation may include attending counselling sessions, seeking professional advice, participating in counselling programmes or returning for follow-up support. The distinction between attitude and utilisation is important because students may have favourable opinions about counselling without necessarily using the available service. Evidence from a Nigerian university illustrates this distinction clearly. Kukoyi et al. (2022), in a study involving 450 undergraduate students, found that most participants demonstrated good attitudes and health-seeking behaviour toward mental-health services, yet more than 64% had poor utilisation of such services. The study also identified health-seeking behaviour and source of information as factors associated with utilisation.

The relationship between help-seeking attitudes and service utilisation is therefore an important issue in student counselling. Students who perceive counselling as useful, confidential, accessible and professionally appropriate may be more inclined to use counselling services when they encounter difficulties. Conversely, students who perceive counselling negatively may avoid or delay seeking professional assistance. Evidence from Nigerian university students demonstrates that awareness and favourable attitudes do not necessarily result in actual service utilisation. Okunaiya and Omovre (2021), for example, reported high awareness of guidance and counselling services among their respondents but low utilisation. Similarly, Kukoyi et al. (2022) found that a substantial proportion of students had positive attitudes and health-seeking behaviour but nevertheless showed poor utilisation of mental-health services. These findings indicate the need to examine the relationship between students’ attitudes toward seeking help and their actual use of available counselling services rather than treating the two concepts as identical.

Several factors can shape students’ willingness to seek counselling. One important factor is mental-health literacy and knowledge, because students who understand psychological problems and know where professional assistance can be obtained may be better positioned to recognise the need for help. A recent study of undergraduates in Nigerian public universities found a positive and significant relationship among health literacy, health knowledge, mental health and attitudes toward help-seeking, indicating that students’ knowledge and understanding can influence their willingness to seek assistance (2025). Research conducted specifically among undergraduate students at the University of Nigeria has also examined mental-health literacy and help-seeking behaviour, demonstrating that recognition of mental-health conditions and appropriate sources of assistance are relevant issues among Nigerian university students (Aluh et al., 2019). These findings suggest that students’ decisions to utilise counselling services may partly depend on whether they possess sufficient knowledge to recognise problems and understand the usefulness of professional support.

Stigma and perceptions surrounding mental-health difficulties constitute another important consideration in help-seeking. Students may fear being labelled, misunderstood or treated differently if others discover that they have sought counselling or psychological support. Such concerns can discourage students from disclosing personal difficulties or approaching professional services. Evidence from Nigerian university health-care students shows that stigma is a significant barrier to the utilisation of mental-health services and that willingness to use professional and community support is associated with lower levels of stigma (Audu et al., 2020). More recent Nigerian research has similarly identified public and self-stigma, cultural misconceptions, peer influence and institutional constraints as factors shaping university students’ help-seeking behaviour (Abioye et al., 2026). These findings are relevant to counselling-service utilisation because students’ attitudes toward professional assistance may be shaped by how they perceive mental-health problems, counselling and the social consequences of seeking help.

The university environment provides an important context for examining help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation because students differ in their personal backgrounds, academic experiences, social networks, knowledge of support services and perceptions of professional assistance. The University of Calabar is a major Nigerian university with a large undergraduate community, making student welfare and access to appropriate support services relevant to the institution’s educational mission. Although counselling services may be provided within university environments, the presence of a service does not automatically mean that students will use it. Nigerian research has repeatedly identified a gap between awareness or favourable attitudes and actual utilisation of counselling or mental-health services. Furthermore, recent qualitative research involving undergraduates at the University of Nigeria found gaps in open access to information about mental-health services as well as concerns relating to awareness and attitudes toward people with mental-health difficulties (2025). Consequently, there is a need for institution-specific research to determine whether students’ help-seeking attitudes are associated with their utilisation of counselling services at the University of Calabar.

Against this background, help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation represent two related but distinct dimensions of student support. A student may recognise the importance of counselling but fail to use the service because of stigma, lack of information, concerns about confidentiality, perceived counsellor competence, accessibility or personal preferences. Conversely, students with limited knowledge of counselling may still seek assistance because of previous positive experiences or recommendations from peers. Existing Nigerian studies provide useful evidence concerning attitudes, awareness, stigma and utilisation, but evidence specifically examining the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar remains limited. The need for such evidence is strengthened by research showing that Nigerian university students can demonstrate positive attitudes and health-seeking behaviour while actual utilisation remains low (Kukoyi et al., 2022; Muhammed et al., 2024). This study therefore seeks to examine the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

University students encounter academic, emotional, interpersonal and developmental challenges that may require professional assistance, yet the availability of counselling services does not necessarily translate into their effective utilisation. Students may experience stress, relationship difficulties, academic problems, anxiety, emotional distress or uncertainty about their future but may choose not to approach counsellors. Evidence from Nigerian universities illustrates this gap. Okunaiya and Omovre (2021) found high awareness of guidance and counselling services among university students but low utilisation, suggesting that awareness alone may not be sufficient to encourage students to access available support. Similarly, Kukoyi et al. (2022) reported that although most respondents demonstrated good attitudes and health-seeking behaviour, actual utilisation of mental-health services was poor.

A second problem concerns students’ attitudes toward seeking professional assistance. Some students may regard seeking counselling as unnecessary, a sign of personal weakness or an indication that they are unable to solve their own problems. Others may prefer to discuss their difficulties with friends, relatives, religious leaders or other informal sources rather than professional counsellors. Nigerian evidence has demonstrated that students’ attitudes toward professional psychological help are influenced by psychological and personal factors (Ojedokun, 2011), while a recent study among Nigerian undergraduates found that attitudes toward help-seeking remain an important issue in the context of mental-health support (Muhammed et al., 2024). These attitudes may affect whether students translate the recognition of a problem into actual use of professional counselling services.

Another problem is the existence of barriers that may intervene between students’ willingness to seek help and actual counselling-service utilisation. Stigma, inadequate information, uncertainty about confidentiality, concerns about the competence of counsellors, limited awareness of where services are located and perceptions of institutional support may discourage students from using counselling services. Research among Nigerian university health-care students identified mental-health stigma as a barrier to service utilisation, while a recent study involving Nigerian universities reported that public and self-stigma, cultural misconceptions, peer influence and institutional constraints can shape help-seeking behaviour (Audu et al., 2020; Abioye et al., 2026). These barriers suggest that students’ attitudes toward help-seeking cannot be considered independently of the broader social and institutional environment in which counselling decisions occur.

The specific problem addressed by this study is the limited empirical evidence on the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar. While previous Nigerian studies have examined mental-health service utilisation, attitudes toward professional psychological help, stigma and counselling awareness, findings from other universities cannot automatically be assumed to represent the experiences of University of Calabar students. For example, Kukoyi et al. (2022) found that Nigerian undergraduates could demonstrate favourable attitudes while still showing poor service utilisation, whereas Okunaiya and Omovre (2021) reported high awareness but low utilisation of counselling services. Therefore, there is a need to determine whether the attitudes held by undergraduates at the University of Calabar toward seeking professional help are significantly related to their actual utilisation of counselling services. This study is designed to provide empirical evidence on this relationship.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The main aim of this study is to examine the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives are to:

1. examine the level of help-seeking attitudes among undergraduates at the University of Calabar;
2. determine the extent of counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar;
3. identify the major factors that influence undergraduates’ attitudes toward seeking counselling services at the University of Calabar; and
4. examine the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar.

1.5 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What is the level of help-seeking attitudes among undergraduates at the University of Calabar?
2. To what extent do undergraduates at the University of Calabar utilise counselling services?
3. What are the major factors influencing undergraduates’ attitudes toward seeking counselling services at the University of Calabar?
4. What relationship exists between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar.

1.7 Significance of the Study

The study will be significant to undergraduates because it will provide greater understanding of the importance of seeking appropriate professional assistance when faced with academic, emotional, interpersonal or other personal difficulties. The findings may encourage students to consider counselling as a legitimate source of support when problems exceed their ability to manage them independently.

The study will be useful to professional counsellors at the University of Calabar because it will provide empirical information about students’ attitudes toward seeking help and their actual utilisation of counselling services. The findings may assist counsellors in identifying barriers that prevent students from accessing services and in developing approaches for improving awareness and acceptability.

The study will also be beneficial to university administrators and student-support units. Evidence from the study may assist the institution in strengthening counselling programmes, orientation activities, mental-health awareness campaigns and referral systems. This is particularly relevant because Nigerian evidence indicates that high awareness or favourable attitudes do not necessarily result in high utilisation of professional support services (Okunaiya & Omovre, 2021; Kukoyi et al., 2022).

The study may also benefit parents, lecturers and other university stakeholders by increasing understanding of the factors that influence students’ willingness to seek professional assistance. Lecturers and other staff who interact regularly with students may be better positioned to encourage appropriate referral where students demonstrate difficulties requiring professional support.

Finally, the study will contribute to academic literature on counselling and student support in Nigerian higher education. It may serve as a reference for researchers investigating help-seeking attitudes, counselling utilisation, mental-health literacy, stigma and related issues among university students in Cross River State and other parts of Nigeria.

1.8 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the relationship between help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation among undergraduates at the University of Calabar.

The content scope covers students’ attitudes toward professional help, willingness to seek counselling, perceptions of counselling, awareness of counselling services, perceived confidentiality, stigma, accessibility of counselling services and actual utilisation of counselling services.

The geographical scope is limited to the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

The population scope comprises undergraduate students of the University of Calabar.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Help-Seeking Attitude: The beliefs, perceptions, willingness and predisposition of an undergraduate toward seeking assistance from a professional counsellor when experiencing academic, emotional, interpersonal, psychological or other personal difficulties.

Counselling-Service Utilisation: The actual use of professional counselling services provided by or through the university, including attending counselling sessions, discussing personal or academic difficulties with a counsellor and participating in counselling programmes.

Counselling Services: Professional services provided by trained counsellors to assist students with academic, personal, emotional, social, career and other developmental concerns.

Professional Help: Assistance obtained from a trained and qualified professional, particularly a counsellor or other recognised mental-health or student-support professional.

Undergraduate: A student enrolled in a first-degree programme at the University of Calabar who has not yet completed the requirements for the degree.

Mental-Health Literacy: Knowledge and understanding that enable an individual to recognise mental-health difficulties, understand available sources of professional assistance and make appropriate decisions concerning help-seeking.

Stigma: Negative beliefs, stereotypes, attitudes or social reactions that may cause an individual to feel ashamed, rejected or discriminated against because of experiencing or seeking assistance for a psychological or emotional difficulty.

Help-Seeking Behaviour: The actual action taken by an individual to obtain assistance from another person or professional service when experiencing a problem or difficulty.

Accessibility: The extent to which counselling services are available and reasonably easy for students to locate, approach and use.

University Counsellor: A professionally trained counselling practitioner assigned to provide counselling and related student-support services within the university environment.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into five chapters. Chapter One presents the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, aim and objectives, research questions, research hypothesis, significance, scope and operational definitions of terms. Chapter Two will review relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature on help-seeking attitudes and counselling-service utilisation. Chapter Three will present the research methodology, including the research design, population of the study, sample size, sampling technique, research instrument, validity and reliability, method of data collection and method of data analysis. Chapter Four will present, analyse and interpret the data collected from respondents and test the research hypothesis. Chapter Five will contain the summary of findings, conclusion, recommendations, limitations of the study and suggestions for further research.

Project – The Relationship between Help-Seeking Attitudes and Counselling-Service Utilisation among Undergraduates at the University of Calabar