International Journal of Research in Social Science and Humanities (IJRSS) ISSN:2582-6220, DOI: 10.47505/IJRSS

Negotiating the Language of Counseling: A Conversation Analysis of Initial Counseling Sessions

Angilly C. Librea, Ana Helena R. Lovitos — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Language, as a fundamental aspect of communication, plays a pivotal role in shaping the connection between counselor and client within counseling conversations. This study micro-analyzed counselor-client interactions, focusing on turn-taking mechanisms and structural organizations. Using CA as the primary framework, a qualitative approach was employed to analyze sixteen audio-recorded counseling sessions conducted in higher education institutions in Davao City, Philippines. Findings revealed that counselors primarily managed turn-taking through direct questioning, unfinished clauses, and explicit speaker selection. Transition relevance places were signaled by pauses, tag questions, and rising intonation, ensuring smooth speaker transitions. Various repair mechanisms, including self-initiated self-repair (expansion, repetition, hesitation, abort and abandon, abort and restart, and avoidance), other-initiated self-repair, self-initiated other-repair, and other-initiated other-repair, were employed to clarify miscommunications, correct speech errors, and maintain conversational coherence. Furthermore, counseling sessions followed a structured format comprising three main moves: the opening move, which involved relationship-building and social conversation; the topic development move, which addressed concerns such as anxiety and depression, academic stress, emotional crises, physical well-being, mental distress; and the termination move, includes assurance to help, encouragement, and support. Findings can be used to develop targeted training programs for counselors to improve conversational strategies in counseling. Policymakers can integrate linguistic insights to enhance mental health interventions. Future research should explore cross-cultural variations in counseling discourse, including non-verbal cues, by incorporating a more diverse participant pool.

Reflection over unspent Special-Purpose Funds in India: A Case of Building and other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Fund

Kamlesh Bansal — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Fund was established under the BOCW (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the BOCW Welfare Cess Act, 1996, to provide social security benefits to construction workers, one of the most vulnerable labour groups in India. Despite the significant accumulation of funds through a mandatory cess on construction projects, a large portion remains unspent or underutilised, drawing attention to governance failures, administrative inefficiencies, and policy bottlenecks. This paper critically examined the issue of underutilisation of BOCW cess funds along with its reasons and their diversion for other purposes, particularly during emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, when large sums were repurposed for relief efforts. While such reallocation may have provided temporary support to the affected populations, it raises fundamental legal and ethical questions regarding the use of special-purpose welfare funds to meet alternative needs. Over the years, several audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, judicial directives, and parliamentary committees have highlighted gross mismanagement, bureaucratic hurdles, regulatory constraints, poor implementation, and weak accountability mechanisms in fund administration. Despite these observations, concrete policy actions have remained slow. Thus, this study recommends policy reforms and enhanced administrative efficiency in managing BOCW funds through structural changes in fund disbursement mechanisms, increased worker enrolment and awareness, and stronger legal safeguards to prevent the diversion of funds, ensuring that welfare entitlements effectively reach the construction workers.

Genetic Escapade: Development of Digital RPG for Teaching Non-Mendelian Genetics

Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The underperformance of the Filipino learners in both national and international assessments is a call to improve teaching materials and strategies. Among innovative approaches in teaching, role-playing game (RPG) is one of the approaches in game-based learning that is seen to have increased educational potential in transforming contents into more enjoyable activities while improving higher-order thinking skills. This study aims to develop a digital RPG to improve conceptual understanding in non-Mendelian genetics. This study employed a developmental research design and utilized the Successive Approximation Model of instructional design (SAM). A needs assessment was conducted to determine least learned topic in science 9, the target users’ familiarity with RPG and openness to using RPG, and benefits and challenges in game-based classroom. The development process was done in three phases: preparation, iterative design, and iterative development. The developed RPG was evaluated by five in-service grade 9 science teachers and three in-service ICT teachers. The developed game passed all criteria for evaluation and is recommended by the evaluators for approval for use in public schools.

Socio Economic Implications of Urban Poverty in Tamil Nadu: A Field Survey Study

Dr. R.Karthikeyan, Dr.M.Sulthana Barvin, Mrs.V.Nalini — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Though Poverty has been a serious issue in the development process across the world for quite a long period of time and alleviation of poverty has been one of the major challenges faced by most of the countries of the world, the issue of urban poverty is not new, but it is often narrowly viewed as an economic issue that is best addressed by economic policies and interventions. The SDG 1, also known as the “No Poverty” goal, is a global effort to eradicate extreme poverty and reduce income inequality by 2030. This goal is of utmost importance because poverty is a pervasive and complex issue that affects billions of people around the world. It can have serious consequences for individuals, communities, and economies, including poor health, limited access to education and other essential services, and reduced economic opportunity. Poverty is currently a serious socio economic concern in India. In spite of a number urban poverty alleviation measures taken by the government still the incidence of poverty exists and further there are social, economic and regional variations observed both at macro level as well as micro level. Hence, the present study tries to study the socio economic implications of urban poverty in one of the recently incepted Corporations of Tamil Nadu, Thanjavour through field survey. This analysis attempts to study the Socio Demographic background of the sample respondents; to analyse the Income and Expenditure Pattern of the selected sample respondents; and to suggest possible policy measures to reduce the incidence of urban poverty to improve the standard of living of the respondents of the study area. Urban poverty today, as driven by globalization and rapid uncontrolled urbanization, also needs to be recognized as a social, political, and cultural process that has profound impacts on overall economic progress.

Utilizing Salazar's Grouping Method in Improving Learners' Performance on the Applications of Right Triangle

Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This quantitative study aimed to utilize Salazar’s Grouping Method in improving grade 9 learners’ performance on the applications of right triangles. The researcher adapted and validated a solving real-life problems from a variety of sources that was originally created using a two-way Table of Specification (TOS) that was aligned with the DepEd-MELC Curriculum. Ninety-six (96) learners from one of the branches of Mindanao State University External Units in Lanao del Sur, Philippines, forty-eight (48) learners were assigned to the control group and forty-eight (48) to the experimental group, who participated in the study in two weeks of intervention. Learners’ performance refers to the problem-solving test that was rated with a validated rubric. A problem-solving test was used, which consisted of five problem-solving problems. The hypothesis was evaluated at the 0.05 level of significance, and the data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and intraclass coefficients. The findings of the study revealed both groups made improvements; however, the experimental group showed significant differences in the posttest results with a mean of 17.57 (SD = 4.64), categorized as very satisfactory improvement, and higher than the control group's mean of 12.92 (SD = 4.86), categorized as satisfactory improvement. This implies that utilizing Salazar’s Grouping Method was effective to improve learners’ performance, particularly on the applications of right triangles. Learners’ performance was found to have improved from no improvement to very satisfactory, with a mean gained score of 14.65. Based on the results, learners require additional exposure, practice, and collaborative activity that will boost their confidence and communication skills, such as the Salazar’s Grouping Method, and to fully learn the applications of right triangles and apply them to problem solving. Thus, integrating interviews and student reflections will help to further explore performance and understand more deeply the effects of the Salazar’s Grouping Method.

Digital Divide and Job Search Behaviour: An Empirical Study of Educated Urban Youth in Aizawl, Mizoram

Dr. Doumuanlal, Prof. Lalhriatpuii, Dr. C Lalnunmawia — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores the influence of digital access and skills on job search behaviour among educated youth in Aizawl, Mizoram. Using empirical data from 304 respondents, it examines the nature and frequency of job applications, utilization of online platforms like hnainpui.com, and preferred modes of application. Findings reveal that while nearly half of the respondents use online modes to apply for jobs, a significant proportion remains digitally excluded. Only 16.8% reported using the state-supported employment portal hnainpui.com. These patterns suggest a pressing need for digital literacy initiatives to improve employment outcomes and labour market efficiency in the region.

This study investigates the influence of the digital divide on the job search behaviour of educated urban youth in Aizawl, Mizoram. In a rapidly digitizing world, digital access and literacy are crucial in determining employability and access to job opportunities. Using primary data collected from 304 graduates and postgraduates who completed their degrees within the last three years, the research explores their preferred modes of application, frequency of job applications, and use of the state-run job portal hnainpui.com.

Findings reveal that while 49.3% of the respondents use online modes to apply for jobs, a substantial 43.4% still rely on offline applications. Only 16.8% had used hnainpui.com, highlighting low awareness and possibly usability challenges. Moreover, 52% had not applied for any jobs in the past six months, signalling a deeper issue of limited digital engagement and structural constraints. Key challenges identified include digital illiteracy, lack of awareness about online platforms, inadequate internet infrastructure, and a reliance on intermediaries. To address these gaps, the study recommends improving digital literacy through workshops, simplifying employment portal interfaces, and launching targeted awareness campaigns. A mobile-first approach, better portal integration with social media, and digital job fairs could further enhance engagement. Bridging this digital divide is essential to improving labour market participation and employment outcomes for Aizawl’s youth.

Donor Funding Influence on Socio-Economic Development in Kenya: A Case of Water Projects in Lamu County

Betty Mwacheda, Dr. Serah Kimaru — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Kenya has previously been classified as one of the countries that is water scarce in the World while Lamu County is classified or categorized among the water scarce counties in Kenya. There is a serious challenges which are facing the residents of Lamu County in accessing clean portable water. Several institutions both international and local have been making efforts to address the water scarcity situation across the world. These internationals institutions and organizations collaborate resources with an intention of improving the community access to clean drinking water and eventually improve the socio-economic conditions of the community. Studies that have been found in the past have established that inadequate human resource and lack of qualified personnel has affected the financial management and procurement which affected the implementation of the projects. The study investigate the relationship between donor funding and the socio-economic development in Kenya specifically Lamu county. Theory of poverty was instrumental in guiding of this study and the descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The members of the community-based organizations were considered as the target population since they are members of the water projects, county government officials and the service providers within Lamu County. The sampling technique that was used was the systematic random sampling in order to identify and select the 80 participants and respondents who took part in the study. The questionnaires were used as data collection instruments for the collection of information and data while the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS v.24). The descriptive statistics, frequency distribution and the regression, model were used as the data analysis techniques. The study revealed that the water projects had a statistically significant relationship to the socio-economic development in Kenya specifically for the people of Lamu County as a community

Halal Tourism for the Welfare of Local Communities

Zainal Abidin, Bambang Satriya, Praptining Sukowati — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Aceh, as a province that implements Islamic law, has its own characteristics that distinguish it from other provinces in Indonesia. Aceh has the potential to become a leading halal tourism destination because of its unique culture, history and religion. Banda Aceh is the capital of Aceh Province which is an important center of economic, social, cultural and religious activities. This city also has various tourist attractions, both in terms of history, culture, and nature. The purpose of this study is to: (1) To find out and analyze the implementation of halal tourism policies in Banda Aceh City towards the welfare of local communities, (2) To find out and analyze the inhibiting and supporting factors in the implementation of halal tourism policies towards the welfare of local communities in Banda Aceh City. By using a qualitative descriptive approach. The results of this study indicate. Halal tourism in Banda Aceh has succeeded in developing a tourism sector that is friendly to Muslim tourists by providing policies such as halal food, places of worship, and accommodation according to Islamic law. Leading destinations such as the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque and the Tsunami Museum strengthen their appeal. Positive impacts are felt through increased local economy, job creation, and the development of MSMEs and the hotel sector. Despite facing challenges such as lack of infrastructure, high costs, and suboptimal promotion, collaboration between the government, business actors, and the community is the key to success. Support from the central government and the international community also strengthens Banda Aceh's potential as a leading halal tourism destination at the national and global levels.

The Role and Contribution of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University in Building a developed country status for India by 2047: A Visionary Academic Perspective

Dr.Ritu Kumari — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

India’s ambition to become a developed nation by the year 2047, marking 100 years of independence, depends heavily on the contribution of its academic and research institutions. Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (TMBU), situated in the culturally and historically rich region of Bihar, has been a torchbearer of higher education in Eastern India. This research article explores TMBU’s academic legacy, its present initiatives, and its strategic potential to contribute significantly to India's developmental roadmap by 2047. Through qualitative analysis and policy linkage, this study reflects on how TMBU can align with national goals such as the National Education Policy 2020, Digital India, Skill India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Social Media and Risky behavior in Adolescents: A Review of Research

Harsh Bala, Dr. Priya Singla — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In today’s digital landscape, social media plays a central role in shaping adolescent behavior, identity, and social interactions. While it offers avenues for self-expression, creativity, and peer connectivity, growing concerns have emerged about its association with increased delinquency proneness in youth. This paper critically reviews existing literature to examine how social media use may contribute to behavioral tendencies linked with delinquency, such as impulsivity, aggression, defiance, and rule-breaking.

Drawing on established theories including Social Learning Theory, Routine Activity Theory, and Ecological Systems Theory, the paper highlights mechanisms through which social media may reinforce delinquent behavior. These include exposure to deviant content, peer contagion in online communities, participation in risky online trends, and involvement in cyberbullying. Additionally, the review explores how psychological vulnerabilities like poor self-regulation, identity confusion, and sensation seeking can interact with digital platforms to increase risk.

Family dynamics, particularly reduced parental supervision and modeling of online behavior, are also discussed as significant environmental factors. Despite these risks, the paper identifies protective elements such as digital literacy education, parental involvement, and participation in positive online and offline communities.

This review concludes with implications for educational policy, parental strategies, mental health support, and the responsibilities of tech platforms. It underscores the need for multi-level interventions to guide adolescents toward healthy digital engagement and prevent the escalation of delinquency-related behaviors.

Effectiveness of Generating Interaction between Schema and Text (GIST) Strategy for Enhancing Comprehension Skills of Grade 11 Students

Lowell Manseneros — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined the effectiveness of using the GIST (Generating Interactions between Schemata and Text) strategy in improving the Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC) in the Department of Education competencies specifically explaining the texts in terms of literary elements, genres, and traditions, understanding literary meanings in context and the use of critical reading strategies and situating the texts in the context of the region, nation, and world of Grade 11 students at Don Gerardo Llamera Ouano Memorial National High School. The instrument used in this study is an adaptive 30-item Multiple Choice Test from The Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) Assessment Tool designed to assess students' performances before and after the use of the strategy. The data gathered through a comprehensive test and an interview were analyzed using the Braun and Clarke Thematic Analytical Framework. Findings revealed that the performance of the respondents differ before and after using the GIST (Generating Interactions between Schemata and Text) strategy. Facilitating better comprehension, fostering active engagement, and constituting a challenge to the students were the three themes that emerged regarding the experiences of the respondents when exposed to the GIST strategy. Based on the findings and conclusion, using the GIST strategy for the students ‘reading comprehension is highly recommended.

Developing a Laboratory Activity Based on the Content of 3D Wave Visualization in Learning Earthquake

Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

3D Wave Visualization is a simulation that shows the traveling of earthquake waves in the layer of the earth. It was made by the NSF SAGE EarthScope Consortium. Based on the pre-assessment survey by three (3) in-service principals and eight (8) in-service science teachers, one of the difficult topics in the 2nd quarter of grade 8 was the earthquake. It shows that earthquake is a challenging topic and it is difficult to engage the students with abstract concepts. Some students cannot imagine how waves travel. This led the researcher to develop a laboratory activity based on the content of the 3D Wave Visualization to enhance the conceptual understanding of the Grade 8 students on earthquakes. The developed laboratory activity was evaluated in terms of content, format, presentation & organization, accuracy, and up-to-date information and rated as Excellent. It was administered to the forty (40) grade 8 students currently enrolled for the academic year 2024-2025 in one of the public schools in Balindong Lanao del Sur. In addition, a pilot test was conducted and it revealed that the mean scores of the pretest and post-test were 9.93 (SD=1.77and 19.76(SD=3.11). The actual implementation revealed that the mean scores of the pretest and post-test were 14.56(SD=2.59) and 23.08(SD=1.69) respectively. This indicates that the mean difference is 8.52. It signifies that there was a significant difference in the pretest and post-test results of the student’s performance during the actual implementation. This implies that the intervention significantly improved the conceptual understanding of the respondents. This study concludes that utilizing 3D wave visualization as a laboratory activity increases the performance of the students.

Exploring the Depths: A Comparative Analysis of Doctrinal and Non-Doctrinal Legal Research

Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Legal research incorporates systematic findings on an identified topic and investigates the law to improve it. Researchers adopt both doctrinal and non-doctrinal legal research methods when researching the law. The right approach will ensure the effective fulfilment of research questions. Hence, this paper compares doctrinal and non-doctrinal legal research regarding their nature, scope, aims, essential tools, advantages, limitations, and interrelationships. These differences assist law researchers in deciding the most suitable type of legal research when dealing with their respective research questions. This paper also highlights that law researchers often use the non-doctrinal method within the doctrinal research framework to strengthen their suggestions and provide additional significance in pursuing law reform. The study's findings aim to assist law researchers, particularly novice researchers, in choosing the right type of legal research when developing papers.

Developing a mindfulness-based program to enhance student wellbeing: Evidence review and conceptual framework for program development

Maryrose C. Macaraan, Christian Peter F. Bangcaya, Marie Lalaine L. Recio — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The demanding nature of the legal education can provide a stimulating and challenging experience for law students. With this, various studies have documented elevated levels of mental health concerns and psychological distress among law students exacerbated by the adversarial and isolating nature of the system which may affect students’ ability to cope and thrive. Meanwhile, mindfulness based programs could help law students acquire the skills to regulate emotions, be resilient and practice self-compassion. This concept paper aims to explore the prevalent challenges of law students affecting their wellbeing and how mindfulness-based strategies could help them deal with these challenges. The findings of the study would be supportive not only of institutional efforts but also of individual mechanisms of coping.

Effect of Communication on Performance of World Bank Funded Informal Settlements Improvement Projects in Nakuru West Sub-County

Rosemary Wanjiku Mukuria, & Dr. Gitahi Njenga — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Despite the substantial investment and resources allocated to the World Bank-funded informal settlements projects, there is an observable variation in their outcomes, with some projects failing to achieve their intended goals of improving living conditions and infrastructure therefore the study sought to assess the effect of communication on performance of world bank funded informal settlements improvement projects in Nakuru West Sub-County. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The total target population was 155 project representatives. Since the study population was manageable, a census was adopted to incorporate all the targeted respondents. The study collected primary data. A questionnaire was utilized to gather the primary data necessary for the study. A pilot test was conducted in Eldoret City for the World Bank funded KISIP projects. The content validity of this study was enhanced by seeking the views of experts in the field of study, especially the research supervisor. Reliability in this study was improved by pre-testing the questionnaire with a selected sample that was not included in the main study. An internal consistency technique was adopted through the utilization of Cronbach’s Alpha. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics involved the use of measures of central tendencies (mean) and measures of dispersion (standard deviation). Inferential statistics involved the use of Pearson correlation analysis to establish the nature of the affiliation amongst variables. After analysis, data was presented in the form of tables. From the findings, the study established that there exists a strong positive and significant relationship between communication (r=0.897, p=0.018) on the performance of World Bank Funded Informal Settlements Improvement Projects in Nakuru West Sub-County. The study concluded that effective communication was a fundamental factor in influencing project performance by ensuring inclusivity among stakeholders and improving project efficiency. It also concluded that the use of diverse communication platforms, a clear communication plan, and frequent updates fostered stakeholder engagement, role clarity, and accountability. From the findings and conclusions, the study recommended that the communication team of the World Bank Funded Informal Settlements Improvement Projects in Nakuru West Sub-County should diversify and enhance communication platforms to ensure inclusivity and stakeholder engagement.

Implementation of Social Forestry Management in Forest Areas with Special Management

Djumari, Agus Sholahuddin , Catur Wahyudi — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Social Forestry (SF) is fundamentally designed to enhance community welfare while promoting environmental sustainability. Ministerial Regulation of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) No. 4 of 2023 seeks to accelerate the governance of Social Forestry programs with the dual aim of advancing local livelihoods and preserving forest ecosystems. The regulation is envisioned as a mechanism for fostering economic equity and creating better livelihood opportunities for rural communities. This research specifically explores two core inquiries: first, how the aforementioned regulation is being implemented on the ground; and second, the extent to which local Forest Farmer Groups (Kelompok Tani Hutan or KTH) possess the institutional capacity to manage the policy effectively. Adopting a qualitative methodology, the study focuses on the administration of Social Forestry within Forest Areas with Special Management (KHDPK) located in Sogo Village, Kedungtuban Subdistrict, Blora Regency, Central Java. The findings reveal that the affirmative policy framework encompasses a range of components, including governance authorization, forest management activities, facilitation, asset utilization, capacity building, monitoring, and funding mechanisms. These elements have been enacted at the provincial level in Central Java. However, at the regency level—specifically in Blora—implementation remains at the facilitation stage, led by Forestry Branch Office 1 (Cabang Dinas Kehutanan or CDK 1). Current facilitation efforts emphasize the cultivation of teak, eucalyptus, mahogany, sengon, johar, maize, and banana. Despite constraints related to limited financial resources and weak institutional infrastructure, the facilitative efforts—driven largely by the commitment of CDK personnel—have succeeded in fostering a sense of community self-reliance. This grassroots initiative is manifested through community-driven contributions such as the provision of seedlings, fertilizers, land management funding, and maintenance efforts. In conclusion, Social Forestry as an affirmative policy holds significant promise for improving rural livelihoods and ensuring forest conservation. It provides a framework for achieving distributive justice and expanding local economic opportunities, offering renewed hope for marginalized communities engaged in forest management.