Effectiveness of Approaches Used in Addressing Students’ Depression among Teachers’ Colleges in Zimbabwe

The study sought to investigate on the effectiveness of approaches used in addressing depression among young adults at teachers’ colleges in Zimbabwe. The study adopted the post-positivism paradigm where a mixed approach was used through questionnaire and interview schedule as means of data collection. The sample consisted of 206 participants drawn from 180 students, two vice principal, two deans of students, 13 heads of departments, one chaplain and eight counsellors. While quantitative data was coded and analysed by the use of tables with frequencies and percentages, qualitative data was analysed through the thematic approach. The study concludes that cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy and person centered therapy are used to address depression cases in Zimbabwean teachers’ colleges. The specific techniques which were commonly used include guided discovery, role play, cognitive restructuring, relaxation and visualization, exposure and person centered. The study therefore recommends that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development and other stakeholders should come up with a policy which spells out expected counselling approaches and techniques to be used at the colleges to address the depression of students. The study further recommends the provision of more trained counselling personnel for the identified approaches to be effective in addressing depression.

Enhancing Guidance and Counselling Services for Mitigating Psychosocial Distress among University Students in Tanzania

This study investigated the strategies for enhancing guidance and counselling services in an effort to mitigate psychosocial distress in Tanzanian Universities. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Multistage and purposive sampling techniques were used to select the study participants. Two universities, two counsellors and two Deans of Students were purposively selected while eighteen students, nine from each university were sampled on the willingness basis for group discussion across the faculties. Data was collected using focus group discussion and interview schedule. For content validity, the inter-raters established the viability of the instruments in view of the research question. Reliability was ensured through multiple data collection instruments. Data was analyzed thematically. The study established that peer counselling programs were not formalized in universities in Tanzania. It can also be concluded that students were not informed about the availability and benefits of guidance and counselling services available in universities and the guidance and counselling departments were underfunded by the universities. Moreover, the counsellors were not professionally trained in counselling. The study recommended that Universities should employ professional counsellors, adequately fund the guidance and counselling services for efficient services. Besides, orientation programs should include informing new students about available guidance and counselling services on campuses.