VOCATIONAL INTEREST AS A CORRELATE OF RE-ENTRY OF ADOLESCENTS INTO SCHOOLS IN DELTA STATE: IMPLICATION FOR COUNSELLING

The study sought to find out the relationship between vocational interest and re-entry of adolescents into school. Three hundred and three (303) adolescents from three educational institutions in Delta State were use for the study. Two research hypotheses and one research question were raised to guide the study. Three research instruments were used; they are the vocational interest inventory (VII), the socio-economic status instrument (SESI) and the instrument on re-entry into school by adolescents (IRIS). Data were analyzed using regression analysis. The result showed that there was a significant relationship between vocational interest and re-entry of adolescents into school. It is recommended that vocational guidance and counselling services should be rendered to adolescents with a major objective of identifying and harnessing their potentialities. In addition, cognitive behavioural counselling like rational emotive therapy can be used in counselling adolescents who re-entered schools, with a view to changing their perception of their past. If this is done their self-esteem will be enhanced and their potentials optimally realized.