Information: A Panacea for Decision-Making and Problem Solving in Counselling

This study examines information: a panacea for decision-making and problem solving in counseling. It was guided by three hypotheses, utilizing a descriptive survey research design; the study targeted a population of 340 members from the Counselling Association of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter (CASSON), and 250 members from the Association of Professional Counsellors in Nigeria, Edo State Chapter (APROCON). A purposeful sampling technique was used to select 185 participants for the study. Data analysis was performed using mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings indicate that information is a key factor in decision-making and problem-solving in counselling contexts. Specifically, the second hypothesis revealed that the majority of respondents fell within the age range of 38-47, with an F-ratio of (F(2,182)=4.053, p .05), showed no significant difference in decision-making and problem-solving based on academic qualifications, indicating that academic background does not significantly influence these processes among participants. The implications of this study highlight the essential role of information in human existence, as it is necessary for effective problem-solving and decision-making in daily life. Therefore, counsellors are encouraged to foster positive attitudes towards appropriate information needs and to emphasize the importance of adhering to information characteristics to enhance service delivery in decision-making and problem-solving. The study also recommends that counsellors actively identify and understand their clients’ situations to determine the specific information needed to address the diverse challenges clients face, thereby improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.