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

ABSTRACT

The research looked at social support, self-esteem, and religiosity as predictors of depression control among Nigerian youths, using Babcock University in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State as a case study.

The survey design and purposive sample technique were used to recruit 450 students from all faculties for the study. The data was collected from the respondents using a well-designed questionnaire that was shown to be valid and reliable. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the data collected during the administration of the questionnaires.

The findings revealed that social support and depression control have a favorable and significant link (r=0.772; p0.05). Furthermore, self-esteem has a favorable and substantial link with depression control (r=.896; p0.05). There was also a substantial and favorable link between religiosity and depression control (r=0.772; p0.05). The research looks at how serially dissatisfied undergraduates in Lagos State view sexual harassment and social intelligence in their social interactions. University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Caleb University are the three universities studied in Lagos State. Each university selects 60 female undergraduate students. As a result, 180 female students make up the study’s sample size. Female undergraduates are given preference because they are more vulnerable to sexual harassment than their male peers.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Depression is one of the most common mental diseases among youngsters in Western civilization (Kiringlen, Torgersen, & Crammer, 2001). Depression is a mood or affective disorder. It’s a disease that engulfs its victims in a world of self-blame, perplexity, and hopelessness. It’s a psychological ailment. Some may claim that depression is a coping mechanism for dealing with life’s stresses (Schwartz, 1993). Depression was not previously recognized as a problem among teenagers. Researchers investigating depression, on the other hand, believe that depression exists among teenagers (Loh, 2010).

Depression among teenagers has long been recognized as a concern (Nunley, 2001). Depressive symptoms are frequently misunderstood as typical teenage behavior or moodiness. Adolescents with depressed symptoms may find it difficult to convey their feelings and may resort to different methods. Although early psychoanalytic formulations assumed that young adolescents lacked the psychological structure (e.g., super ego functions) to genuinely feel depression, clinical and empirical research has shown that adolescents do experience both depressed symptoms and depressive illnesses. In reality, because disruptive behaviors and co-morbid disorders were more prominent than depressed symptoms, depression in adolescents was missed rather than “masked.” Depression is a major issue that affects all aspects of an adolescent’s life. Drug abuse, self-loathing, pregnancy, violence, and even suicide are all possible outcomes. Depression can obliterate an adolescent’s personality, leaving them with an overwhelming sensation of grief, despair, or fury. Adolescents typically rely on their parents, instructors, or caregivers to detect their distress and intervene.

Depression in children and adolescents is on the rise, and statistics on adolescent depression are frightening. According to studies, depression affects 35-40% of adolescent populations, with adolescent depression being the most concerning. One out of every five people may be depressed (Ruston, Forcier and Schectman, 2002). Depression has a negative impact on people’s psychological well-being, including adolescents, which has a negative impact on a country’s progress.

Depression in adolescents is influenced by a variety of circumstances. Academic work, stress, anxiety, self-esteem, parental care, and other elements are examples of such causes. However, the focus of this study is on three of these factors: social support, self-esteem, and religiosity (Rohner, 2007).

According to Finch and Vega (2003), social support among youths includes indicators of social, emotional, and spiritual support, as well as financial support. Depression in teenagers may be linked to low self-esteem. The ability to be confident in one’s own abilities, talents, worth, and value, as well as having personal acceptance, approval, and respect for oneself, is known as self-esteem. Depression and low self-esteem are disproportionately common among adolescents, according to studies conducted in the 1990s (Orth, Robbins and Meier, 2009). Low self-esteem can also lead to the formation of a negative or bad self-image. Expecting to fail might become a self-fulfilling prophesy if you have such thoughts (Riddick, 1996). Despite the fact that most teenagers struggle to establish high self-esteem, research shows that those who do report more pleasant affective states, greater wellbeing, greater life satisfaction, and less depressive symptoms (Dixon, 2005).

As a result, youth with high self-esteem are more likely to report lower levels of depression.

Ritualistic or liturgical practices, organized belief systems and doctrines, and a desire to relate to the sacred and divine are all examples of religiosity (Kim & Esquivel, 2011). On this basis, it is possible to conclude that Nigeria is a religious nation, as a bigger percentage of its population is affiliated with one or more religions, which influence nearly all areas of their behavior. According to Rohrbaugh and Jessor (1975), religion instills in kids a sense and understanding of norms, moral order issues, and standard or suitable behavior; creates the boundaries of acceptable behavior; and establishes the boundaries of acceptable behavior.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Depression is a disorder that has unfortunately been on the rise in Africa’s sub-Saharan region, particularly in the West African Sub-Region. The negative consequences of depression have taken their toll on the nation (Nigeria), maybe as a result of the current tough economic conditions, which have resulted in the deaths of countless people, most notably Nigerian youths who will be tomorrow’s leaders. The persistent lack of social support to assure their growth and development, which leads to low self-esteem, has led to teenagers engaging in a variety of criminal activities in order to survive, most of which are not self-sustaining, resulting in depression. As a result, the goal of this research is to see how social support, self-esteem, and religiosity might be used as predictors.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study’s main goal is to look into the role of social support, self-esteem, and religiosity as predictors of depression in Nigerian youths.

The study’s other specific goals are as follows:

i. To investigate the prevalence of depression among Nigerian youth.

ii. To investigate the impact of social support on depression control in Nigerian youths.

iii. To investigate the impact of self-esteem on depression control in Nigerian youth.

vi. To determine the impact of religion on depression control among Nigerian youths.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

At a significance level of 0.05, the following hypothesis will guide the study.

The First Hypothesis

H0: In Nigerian youths, social support has no significant impact on depression control.

Hypothesis No. 2

H0: Self-Esteem is not helping in Depression Control among Youths in Nigeria

Hypothesis Three

H0: Religiosity has no significance impact on Depression Control among Youths in Nigeria

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

During the research, the following research questions will be addressed:

i. What is the prevalence of depression control among Nigerian youths?

ii. What effect does social support have on depression control among Nigerian youths?

iii. To what extent may self-esteem aid in the prevention of depression in Nigerian youth?

iv. What effect does religiosity have on depression control among Nigerian youths?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research will aid Nigerian youth, educators, and psychologists by revealing the impact of social support, self-esteem, and religiosity as predictors of depression control among Nigerian adolescents. Students, researchers, and scholars who are interested in furthering their studies on the subject will find the study useful.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research looks at social support, self-esteem, and religiosity as determinants of depression control among Nigerian youths. The study’s variables will include three independent variables: social support, self-esteem, and religiosity, as well as one dependent variable: depression control. The study will look at parental support, peer support, community support, neighbor support, and counselor support under the heading of social support. The study will look at significance, competence, power, and virtue under self-esteem, and cognition (knowing), feelings (affect), and action under religiosity (behavior).

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The sensation of profound despair and dejection experienced by young people is known as depression.

Self-esteem refers to a young person’s confidence in himself or herself and his or her talents.

Youths’ religiosity is the quality of being religious.

Social support refers to the various forms of assistance that youths receive from others, which can include emotional, instrumental, and informational assistance.

The ability to influence or steer people’s conduct or the course of events is known as control.

The term “youth” refers to the time between childhood and adulthood.