Health and physical development problems in undergraduate students and comparison of opinion between males and females regarding helpfulness of guidance and counselling services to cope with their health and physical development problems
Abstract
Adolescent health and physical development problems are important issue in student life; there are many helpful services to cope with these problems. This study was conducted on 240 students (120 males and 120 females) to know their health and physical development problems and to compare the response of males & females for helpfulness of guidance and counselling services to help them to cope with their health and physical development problems. Study was done at Rajamagala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Pathum Tani Province, Thailand. This study used the Mooney Problem Checklist, College Form which contains 30 statements and the six scales of guidance and counselling servicenamely Individual and Group Counselling, Consulting, Guidance, Coordination, Assessment, and 3 Personal Growth and Development. Study population was randomly selected 240 undergraduate students from eight difference faculties’ v.i.z. Agricultural Technology, Business Administration, Engineering, Fine and Applied Arts, Home Economics Technology, Liberal Arts, Science and Technology, and Technical Education. This study observed that out of 120 male Thai undergraduate students, 113 (94.2%) male students said that they have troubled with their feet. Otherwise, 119 (99.2%) female students argued that they have not as strong healthy as they should be and they have had poor complexion or skin trouble (N = 120).The result of t-test analysis showed that there was a significant different between Thai male and female students on the helpfulness of individual and group counselling service (N = 120, t (118) =0.903, p = 0.015) consultation service (N = 120, t (118) = 0.983, p<0.001), guidance service (N = 120, t (118) = 0.903, p = 0.015), coordination service (N = 120, t (118) = 0.744, p = 0.017), assessment service (N = 120, t (118) = 0.969, p = 0.002), and personal growth and development service (N = 120, t (118) = 0.902, p = 0.015) provided by the guidance counsellor in helping undergraduate students to cope with their health and physical development problems at a significant level of 0.05.
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Introduction
Health and physical development appearance and body image are important in undergraduate students at this stage of their life. If students had health and physical development problems, it can have a significant impact on their health as adults. Exercise and healthy eating habits in adolescence are foundations for good health in adulthood. The majority of people who smoke began when they were young. Nutrition and dietary patterns in adolescence have an influence on the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. Poor sun protection can increase the risk of skin cancer later in life. Poor nutrition and low activity levels in adolescence are linked to the development of chronic conditions such as heart disease and obesity.1
Conclusion
The study concludes that 94.2% male students felt troubled with their feet and 99.2% female students have not as strong healthy as they should be and they have had poor complexion or skin trouble.
It was also concluded that there was a significant different between Thai male and female students on the helpfulness of individual and group counselling service (p = 0.015) consultation service (p<0.001), guidance service (p = 0.015), coordination service (p = 0.017), assessment service (p = 0.002) and personal growth and development service (p = 0.015) provided by the guidance counsellor in helping undergraduate students to cope with their health and physical development problems at a significant level of 0.05. As per the observation of this study, the implications for this study were suggested as follows:-
For the government: Guidance counsellor should be provided guidance and counselling services well. They need to improve the strategy on other guidance and counselling services such as individual and group counselling service, consultation service, coordination service, and personal growth and development service for sustaining development gains in the future.15
For the undergraduate students: Guidance counsellor needed to improve the strategy on other guidance and counselling services such as individual and group counselling service, consultation service, guidance service, coordination service, and assessment service to support students 'health and physical development, psychological health, and mental health.16
For the guidance counsellor: He/she needed to improve the all strategy such as the six scales of guidance and counselling service well. For example: promoting physical activity and diet for health, supporting healthy families for a healthy Thailand, reducing the adverse health impacts of tobacco smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and accident.17