PREVALENCE OF DATING ANXIETY AMONG STUDENTS IN AL-HIKMAH UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA: ROLES OF COUNSELLING

Abstract

The study investigated the prevalence of dating anxiety (DA) among undergraduate students at Al-Hikmah 
University, Ilorin, Nigeria. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study was guided 
by a research question and 2 hypotheses. 454 undergraduates participated in the survey. The simple random 
sampling technique was used to select male and female students from different faculties, age level, and religious 
affiliations in the university. The Dating Anxiety Scale-Students - NGR (DAS-SN) was used as the instrument for 
collecting data. The data collected were analysed by percentages, standard deviation, mean, t-test and tables where 
appropriate. Results showed that the prevalence of DA among the students was very high; the prevalence rate of DA 
did not noticeably differ between male and female pupils;andno noticeable difference was found in the prevalence 
rate of DA between younger aged and olderaged students; and many (55%) of the participants sample signified 
interest to attend future remedial programmes aimed at reducing their DA. It was concluded that the prevalence rate 
of DA was high among students at Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin and this needs urgent professional attention. It was 
therefore recommended that counsellors should as a matter of urgency focus their attention on DA among the 
students; identify dating anxious students; and organise effective treatment (enlightenment) programmes for them.