MODELLING PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DISORDERS AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN SCHOOLS IN IKERE-EKITI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The public health importance of mental health as a key component in child development has started to shape global health initiatives in the past few decades. Though past studies have assessed mental health issues in different age categories in Nigeria and elsewhere, understanding the psychosocial functioning among adolescents in school in the local settings could provide bases for further actions. This study sought to explore the factors affecting psychosocial functions among adolescents in schools in Ikere Ekiti. Six schools were purposively selected out of the available fifteen secondary schools in Ikere LGA. Questionnaire comprising socio-demographic variables, Rosenberg Self-esteem scale, Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ) and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression for Children Scale (CES-DC) was used to obtain the demographic data and to screen participants for emotional and behavioural problems. Frequency Table and percentages were used for initial data exploration while correlation analysis, independent t-test, ANOVA and multilevel linear regression model were used for inferential analysis. All analysis were performed at 5% level of significance using SPSS version 20. A total of 480 adolescents (11-19 years old) from six secondary schools participated in the study. More than 50% of the participants are males while 48.9% are female. Overall, 26% of the participants were depressed while 8.6% of the participants had abnormal behavioural difficulties. Also, mean score for depression (17.53±8.92) was significantly higher for male than for female (15.05±8.93). The subscales of the SDQ and CES-DC correlated significantly with one another while higher scores on self-esteem correlated significantly with lower scores in the subscales of the SDQ and CES-DC, except prosocial behaviour (r=.0.114, p<0.05) and positive affect (r = 0.183, p<0.001 ). Additionally, sex, self-esteem, emotional symptoms and conduct problem predicted depression among the participants in this study (p<0.001 ). Also, emotional symptoms and hyperactivity significantly predicted peer problems (p<0.001). Psychosocial problems are more prevalent among male participants than their female counterparts. Also, psychosocial functioning of the participants was mostly affected by psychological state.