SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-ESTEEM AND RELIGIOSITY AS PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION CONTROL AMONG YOUTHS IN NIGERIA

SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-ESTEEM AND RELIGIOSITY AS PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION CONTROL AMONG YOUTHS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study examined social support, self-esteem and religiosity as predictors of depression control among youths in Nigeria, a case study of babcock university, ilishan-remo, ogun state

The study employed the survey design and the purposive sampling technique to select 450 students across all faculties. A well-constructed questionnaire, which was adjudged valid and reliable, was used for collection of data from the respondents. The data obtained through the administration of the questionnaires was analyzed using the Pearson correlation analysis.

The results showed that there is positive and significant relationship between Social support and depression control (r=0.772; p<0.05). Furthermore, a positive and significant relationship self-esteem is helping in depression control (r=.896; p<0.05). Also, a positive and significant relationship between religiosity and depression control (r=0.772; p<0.05).

The study concluded that social support, self-esteem and religiosity are crucial factors and strong predictors of depression control among youths in Nigeria.

The study suggested that; The government should give out educational scholarship to youths to enable them have more self-esteem; The parents should give there children educational investment either through the banks or insurance companies, this will enable them have been reason to live even if the parent dies; Religions leader should encourage the youth more, and make them realise why they shouldn’t be depressed according to the word of God; The parents should try and meet the children needs and partially wants; The government should provide more jobs in the economy, by this the unemployment rate will reduce drastically in Nigeria, and thi won’t give the youths a depression of unemployment.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0       Background of the Study

 Depression is one of the most widespread mental disorders among youths (Kiringlen, Torgersen & Crammer, 2001) in Western society. Depression is an affective, or mood disorder. It is an illness that immerses its sufferers in a world of self-blame, confusion and hopelessness. It is an illness of the mind. Some could argue that depression is a way of coping with life’s pressures (Schwartz, 1993). In the past, depression was not recognized to exist among youths. However, researchers studying depression suggest that depression exist among youths (Loh, 2010).

Depression in youths has been acknowledged as a problem (Nunley, 2001). Depressive symptoms are often viewed as normal adolescents’ behavior or moodiness. Adolescents with depressive symptoms have difficulty expressing how they feel and may use other means of expression such as acting out which often interpreted as misbehavior. Early psychoanalytic formulations presumed that young adolescents did not have the psychological structure (e.g. super ego functions) to truly experience depression, clinical and empirical evidence revealed that adolescents do indeed suffer from both depressive symptoms and depressive disorders. In fact, depression in adolescent was overlooked rather than “masked” possibly because of disruptive behaviors and co morbid disorders were more salient than were depressive symptoms. Depression is a serious problem that impacts every aspect of adolescents’ life. It can lead to drug abuse, self-loathing and pregnancy, violence and even suicide. Depression can destroy the very essence of adolescents’ personality causing an overwhelming sense of sadness, despair or anger. Usually, adolescents rely on parents, teachers, or caregivers to recognize his or her suffering and get him or her treatment.

SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-ESTEEM AND RELIGIOSITY AS PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION CONTROL AMONG YOUTHS IN NIGERIA