Year: 2024 | Month: October-December | Volume: 9 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 80-90
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20240413
Impact of Academic Progress on the Mental Health of Young People in Nigeria: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in South-Western Nigeria
Usoro Udousoro Akpan1, Tolulope Israel Oni2, Obafemi Samuel Olayinka2, Olawale Mathew Ibitoye2, Sinclair Eke3
1Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, United Kingdom.
2Department of Public Health, Kwara State University, Nigeria.
3Department of Public Health, University of Derby, United Kingdom.
Corresponding Author: Xyz
ABSTRACT
Background: Education is important in forging a pathway to economic opportunity and social mobility. It is widely regarded as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of personal and social development.
Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study employs a quantitative data collection approach. Four hundred individuals were interviewed using semi-structured, interviewer-administered questions through a multi-stage sampling technique. After data analysis with SPSS version 26, a chi-square test statistic was employed to determine whether there was a significant relationship between the categorical variables, with a p-value of less than 0.05.
Results: Out of 400 respondents, 211 (52.8%) male and 189 (47.2%) female were questioned. Nearly half of the respondents (49.0%) were between the ages of 19 and 21 years old. According to the survey, most of the respondents (70.0%) asserted that their current academic workload is heavy, while (18.0%) and (9.0%) described their workload as moderate and light, respectively. Additionally, (60.0%) of the respondents rated their overall academic performance as good. However, only (13.0%) acknowledged that academic pressure contributes to stress and anxiety in life and (79.0%) occasionally expressed stress related to academic demands. About (11.8%) and (8.8%) of the respondents reported having been diagnosed with a mental health disorder before and experienced symptoms of depression in the past month respectively. An additional (20.0%) of respondents reported having experienced depression, while (24.5%) and (23.5%) claimed to have experienced anxiety and stress, respectively. Moreover, (11.8%) reported experiencing panic attacks, and (5.3%) mentioned having had suicidal thoughts. More than half of the respondents used to exercise (59.0%) and engaged in hobbies or interests (56.5%) as coping mechanisms for academic stress. Additionally, (45.5%) practiced mindfulness or relaxation techniques, and (25.5%) sought social support to manage their academic stress. About (32.5%) of respondents claimed they were aware of mental health support services available at their institutions, compared to (67.5%) who were unaware of these services. Of those aware, (33.1%) had utilized mental health support services. Additionally, (44.2%) of respondents were satisfied with the mental health support services on campus, while (39.5%) were very satisfied. The study also reveals that there’s no statistically significant association between the age, gender, monthly upkeep of the respondents and utilization of mental health support services.
Conclusion: There is a complex connection between academic performance, psychological well-being, and the use of coping strategies and mental health support services among university students. This underscores the importance of addressing students' mental health needs alongside providing academic assistance.
Keywords: Mental health, Academic performance, Mental health support services, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Mental health coping mechanisms