Techniques Used by the Student Counsellors in Addressing Mental Health Among University Students in Public Universities in Kenya
Keywords:
Mental Health, Student Counsellors, Counselling Techniques, University Students, Public Universities, KenyaAbstract
Mental health challenges among university students have become a major concern in institutions of higher learning due to academic pressure, social adjustment difficulties, interpersonal conflicts, financial stress, and emotional distress. Student counsellors play an important role in supporting students through different counselling techniques aimed at improving psychological wellbeing and emotional adjustment. This study examined the techniques used by student counsellors in addressing mental health among university students in public universities in Kenya. The study was anchored in Urie Bronfenbrenner and Pamela Morris’s Bioecological Model of Human Development (2006), which explains how interactions between individuals and their environments influence human development and wellbeing. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised undergraduate students and student counsellors from two public universities in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. A sample of 749 undergraduate students and 25 student counsellors participated in the study. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview guides. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 20), while qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented narratively. The findings revealed that student counsellors commonly used Solution-Focused Brief Counseling, group counselling, virtual counselling, conflict counselling, and crisis counselling to address mental health challenges among university students. The study found that 83.1% of students agreed that Solution-Focused Brief Counseling helped students focus on strengths and practical solutions to psychological challenges. Further, 79.6% of the respondents perceived group counselling as effective in reducing stress, loneliness, anxiety, and emotional distress through peer support and social interaction. The findings also showed that 74.77% of the students preferred virtual counselling services because of convenience, flexibility, privacy, and anonymity. In addition, 79.1% of the respondents agreed that conflict counselling improved communication skills and interpersonal relationships among students. The study further established that 82.5% of students believed crisis counselling services effectively supported students experiencing severe emotional distress, trauma, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Pearson correlation analysis revealed statistically significant positive relationships between counselling techniques and effectiveness in addressing mental health challenges, with crisis counselling recording the strongest relationship (r = 0.703, p = 0.000). The study concluded that integrated counselling approaches significantly improve emotional wellbeing, coping abilities, stress management, and psychological adjustment among university students. The study recommends strengthening university counselling departments through recruitment of trained counsellors, expansion of virtual counselling infrastructure, increased mental health awareness programs, and development of comprehensive university mental health policies and referral systems.
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