PREDICTING ADOLESCENTS' QUALITY OF LIFE USING DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS

Abstract

Psychosocial functioning and depression is associated with a wide range of impacts on adolescents' quality of life. In Nigeria, studies assessing the importance of the domains of psychosocial functioning and depression in distinguishing between the categories of quality of life and classifying adolescents into these categories have been limited in literature. This study investigated the domains of psychosocial functioning and child depression that significantly distinguish between the categories of quality of life and also classify into these groups. Data for a total of 2019 adolescents aged 10- 19 were extracted from Benue State cross-sectional study. Preliminary analyses on their socio-demographic information were performed using descriptive statistics. Differences between categories (groups) of Quality of Life (low. moderate and excellent) on the basis of the attributes of the adolescents in terms of their psychosocial functioning and depression status , indicating which attributes contribute most to group separation were investigated using descriminant analysis. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the association between socio-demographic characteristics of the adolescents and levels of Quality of Life. The inter-relationships between the domains of Quality of Life and the adolescents age, position in the family, domains of psychosocial functioning and child depression status was assessed using correlation analysis. Participants were 14.7±2.05 years old. Higher levels of the domains of quality of life were significantly correlated with lower levels of the domains of Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) with ineffectiveness significantly having the highest strength of correlation (r = -0.23, p<0.001 ). There was also significant correlation between the domains of Quality of Life and the adolescents' psychosocial functioning with prosocial behaviour being the domain of SDQ with the highest strength of relationship (r = 0.31, p<0.001) . Both hyperactivity (F=67.41, p<0.001) and ineffectiveness (F=44.2, p<0.001) were strong significant discriminating variables that predict the adolescents' levels of physical health while adolescents' position in the family did not determine their physical health. Prosocial behaviour (F=59.98, p<0.001) and negative mood symptoms (F=21.86, p<0.001) were strong significant discriminating variables that distinguish between the adolescents' levels of psychological health. Also, pro social behaviour (f =82.41, p<0.001) and ineffcctiveness (F=3 l. l 9, p<0.001) were strong significant discriminating variables that predict the adolescents' levels of total quality of life. Adolescent's psychosocial functioning and depression status relates with their physical health, psychological health, social relationship, environmental health and total quality of life. Having this information about adolescents, discriminant analysis can be used in predicting adolescent's quality of life in that prompt intervention programme could be put in place for them.