COMMUNITY-BASED COUNSELING PROGRAMS FOR PROMOTINGENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND HEALTH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66055/zzefvt38Keywords:
Community-based counseling, environmental awareness, health promotion, sustainability, behavioral change.Abstract
Environmental degradation and health challenges are pressing global concerns that require
community-based interventions. This is because community-based counseling programs
function as essential instruments to teach citizens about sustainable practices alongside health
prevention methods. The current research therefore examined the performance of communitybased counseling initiatives to raise environmental understanding and health practices among
senior secondary school population in Anambra state. Three sets of research questions
together with hypotheses steered the investigation. The study based its framework on Social
Cognitive Theory (SCT) and descriptive survey research design. Stratified random sampling
was used to pick 99 participants from multiple demographic categories. The study employed
structured questionnaires to acquire data points. The questionnaire followed validation from
experts in counseling and environmental studies and passed reliability testing through
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.87). Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics
(mean, frequency, percentage and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (KruskalWallis Test) to determine variations in responses based on demographic factors. The research
shows that community-based counseling programs significantly influence environmental
awareness and health outcomes. Tree planting and clean-up campaigns received the highest
rating (mean of 3.36), while promoting climate action had the lowest (2.58). Counseling
interventions effectively improved health outcomes, especially in addressing climate change
(mean of 3.49). Community members generally supported programs integrating environmental
health education, with the highest mean for fostering participation (3.52). Kruskal-Wallis tests
indicated no gender difference in environmental awareness and attitudes, but a significant
impact on health outcomes. The study recommended that governmental support should expand
alongside non-governmental backing of counseling programs and legislative structures should
implement environmental educational standards within community counseling services.
Downloads
References
Alimoradiyan, H., Hajinezhad, A., Yousefi,
H., & Giampietro, M. (2024).
Fostering community participation
in sustainable municipal solid waste
management at multiple scales in
Tehran, Iran. Results in
Engineering, 22, 102174.
Altassan, A. (2023). Sustainable integration
of solar energy, behavior change,
and recycling practices in
educational institutions: a holistic
framework for environmental
conservation and quality
education. Sustainability, 15(20),
15157.
Apeh, A. C., Apeh, C. C., Ukwuaba, S. I.,
Agbugba, I. K., & Onyeaka, H.
(2024). Exploring data sources and
farmers' perceptions regarding
agrochemical use and food safety in
Nigeria. JSFA Reports, 4(8), 304-
315.
Cardarelli, K. M., Ickes, M., HuntingtonMoskos, L., Wilmhoff, C., Larck,
A., Pinney, S. M., & Hahn, E. J.
(2021). Authentic youth
engagement in environmental
health research and
advocacy. International Journal of
Environmental Research and
Public Health, 18(4), 2154.
Cheng, T. M., Wu, H. C., Wang, J. T. M.,
& Wu, M. R. (2019). Community
Participation as a mediating factor
on residents’ attitudes towards
sustainable tourism development
and their personal environmentally
responsible behaviour. Current
issues in tourism, 22(14), 1764-
1782.
Hulukati, W., & Lakadjo, M. R. A. (2025,
April). Developing Environmental
Care Behavior through Guidance
and Counseling using the Written
Technique. In Proceedings of the
8th International Conference on
Education Innovation (ICEI
2024) (Vol. 888, p. 79). Springer
Nature.
Hussein Mustafa, A., Azizi, N., & Shirbagi,
N. (2023). Empowering Women in
University Leadership: The Impact
of Academic Counseling and
Psychological Services in Iran and
Iraq. School Administration, 11(3),
81-107.
Jensen, L. E., & Case, A. S. (2022).
Recognition of community-based
youth programming in counseling
psychology journals: A 30-year
analysis. The Counseling
Psychologist, 50(2), 275-298.
Jensen, L. E., & Case, A. S. (2022).
Recognition of community-based
youth programming in counseling
psychology journals: A 30-year
analysis. The Counseling
Psychologist, 50(2), 275-298.
Johnston, C. A., Rost, S., Miller-Kovach,
K., Moreno, J. P., & Foreyt, J. P.
(2013). A randomized controlled
trial of a community-based
behavioral counseling
program. The American journal of
medicine, 126(12), 1143-e19.
Lawrence, K. C., & Falaye, A. O. (2020).
Trauma‐focused counselling and
social effectiveness skills training
interventions on impaired
psychological functioning of
internally displaced adolescents in
Nigeria. Journal of Community &
Applied Social Psychology, 30(6),
616-627.
Ozobu, C. O., Adikwu, F. E., Odujobi, O.,
Onyekwe, F. O., & Nwulu, E. O.
(2025). A review of health risk
assessment and exposure control
models for hazardous waste
management operations in
Africa. International Journal of
Advanced Multidisciplinary
Research and Studies, 5(2), 570-
582.
Saleh, S., Shepherd, W., Jewell, C., Lam,
N.L., Balmes, J., Bates, M.N., Lai,
P.S., Ochieng, C.A., Chinouya, M.
and Mortimer, K., 2020. Air
pollution interventions and
respiratory health: a systematic
review. The international journal of
tuberculosis and lung
disease, 24(2), 50-164
.
Sidik, A. D. W. M., Edwinanto, E., Padilah,
A., Hak, A., Gulo, M., Aghniya, G.
I., Tawakal, I., Hidayat, M. N.,
Lase, F. Y .A., Sofian, M. R. and
Jannah, G. R., (2024). Empowering
Communities through Enhancing
Environmental Awareness: A Case
Study of Cikelat Village,
Sukabumi, West Java in
Community Service
Activities. Journal of Innovation
and Community Engagement, 5(1),
18-34.
Skogen, K., Helland, H., & Kaltenborn, B.
(2018). Concern about climate
change, biodiversity loss, habitat
degradation and landscape change:
Embedded in different packages of
environmental concern? Journal for
Nature Conservation, 44, 12-20.
