Construction and Validation of Needs Assessment Inventory for Students in Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific / Abadicio, Mary Jane B.

This study aimed to come up with Needs Assessment Inventory intended for MAAP Midshipmen. Implication of identified needs to guidance and counseling practices was also generated. Descriptive method of research was employed. The respondents were chosen by stratified random sampling and were composed of six hundred fifty-two (652) midshipmen/women from East and West Campuses of the Maritime Academy of Asian and the Pacific (MAAP). This study adopted the Input-Output Model having the profile of the respondents and their needs in five general areas as the input, and the Student Needs Assessment Inventory as the output. One-hundred one (101) items were extracted from the original researcher-made questionnaire of 160-item needs assessment. All of the items on Spiritual Needs of the students were retained in a single factor; almost half of the items on Coping Responses were retained and were grouped into seven underlying factors relevant to students‟ coping responses. A number of items on Character Formation were loaded significantly in a single factor, while several items in Attainment of Objectives were extracted into four factors, and five factors were extracted relevant to the Health and Safety needs of the students. Findings revealed that midshipmen‟s need along the Five General Areas consistently showed low priority in terms of needs satisfaction. In terms of Spiritual Needs, there were no significant differences found on gender, program and academic performance, while significant difference was found in terms of class. It was also found out that Spiritual Needs of 1st class midshipmen were higher than that of 3rd and 4th class midshipmen. vi In terms of Coping Responses, Character Formation, Attainment of Objectives, and Health and Safety, there were no significant differences found on gender and programs while significant differences were found on class and academic performance. Needs in these areas were found to be higher for 4th class and those with fair/poor academic performance. Considering the findings and conclusion of the study, the following recommendations were offered: as the output Needs Assessment Inventory has been statistically treated and analyzed in order to fit with the present conditions and experiences of midshipmen at MAAP, use of the tool should be incorporated as part of guidance services; the guidance program should be in constant review and the needs assessment results should be used as basis in order to develop or modify guidance programs; further test of construct validity of the one-hundred one (101) items of the Needs Assessment Inventory be done; lastly, as students in regimented academies in the country have specific needs, other researchers are also encouraged to work on the standardization of Needs Assessment Inventory for regimental schools.