The Role of Listening Skills in Enhancing Client-Centered Counselling Services Among Public Senior Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt Metropolis

Abstract

This study examined the influence of listening skills on client-centered counselling services in public senior secondary schools in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria. Three specific aspects of listening skills were investigated: maintaining eye contact, avoiding interruption, and asking relevant questions. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised 132 practising counsellors in public senior secondary schools, from which 105 counsellors were selected using simple random sampling. A structured questionnaire titled “Listening Skills and Client-Centered Counselling Services Questionnaire (LSCCSQ)” was used for data collection. The instrument contained items measured on a four-point rating scale and was validated by experts. Reliability was established using Cronbach Alpha, yielding coefficients of 0.88, 0.81, and 0.77 for the three clusters, with an overall reliability index of 0.82. Data were analyzed using means and standard deviations to answer the research questions, while independent t-tests were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that counsellors generally demonstrated effective listening skills, and these skills positively enhanced client-centered counselling services. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between male and female counsellors in their use of listening skills. Based on the findings, the study recommends continuous professional development and targeted training to strengthen counsellors’ listening competencies.