ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPLICATION AND TEST ANXIETY ON EFFECTIVE COUNSELLING DELIVERY IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the role of AI usage and test anxiety on effective counselling delivery in schools.

Two objectives were stated to guide the focus of the study as survey design using a correlational

approach was employed in the study. The population comprised of school counsellors and secondary

school students. Through simple random sampling technique, a sample of 160 participants (150

students and 10 school counsellors) was selected from five senior secondary schools in Egor Local

Government Area of Edo State. A self-structured instrument titled, Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

usage and Test Anxiety on Effective Counselling Delivery Questionnaire (RAIUTAECDQ) was used

for data generation. The validated instrument by two counsellors in the department of Guidance and

Counselling, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State and was alluded to meet content validity. A

Split-half reliability, yielded the following indexes r= .805(AI usage), .783(test anxiety) and

.799(Counselling delivery) respectively showing highly reliable. The data was analyzed using simple

correlation analysis and hypothesis test at .05 level of significance. Finding reveals that AI usage and

test anxiety showed positive correlation with effective counselling delivery. The authors concluded

that integrating AI technologies into school counselling, alongside research-based strategies for

managing test anxiety of students can enhance the effectiveness of counselling services and promote

students' academic success, psychological well-being, and overall school adjustment. The authors

recommended among others that more counselors should be exposed to hybridize counselling services

with AI packages in schools.