CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Education is a key need in this age of globalization. Education not just gives understanding, it likewise grooms the personality, inculcates ethical values, add knowledge and gives ability (Musarat, Sundus, Faqiha, Fozia & Ayesha, 2013). The world is making progress each day due to the fact that education is the only key to suit the speed of its progress. People are paying much attention to higher education. The high quality of students' efficiency continues to be at the top priority for educators (Musarat, et al, 2013)
While entrance to a university or other tertiary education institutions is a time of joy, it can be a difficult life event for some students (Wong et al., 2006). First-year students are especially at-risk as they deal with a variety of new stressors throughout the transitional period of beginning a new life in university or college (Voelker, 2003). Equally as all young adults, undergraduate students have to deal not just with mental and psychosocial adjustments that are linked to the development of an autonomous individual life however additionally with the academic and social needs that they experience in university studies in their preparation for professional careers. Consequently, the period of undergraduate education is a sensitive period in an individual's lifetime, and this period is considered by many as essential for developing systems and intervention techniques that might prevent or decrease psychological issues (Gjerde, 1993).
Evidence that reveals that university students are susceptible to psychological health problems has generated increased public worry in many societies (Stanley and Manthorpe, 2001). Previous studies recommend high rates of psychological morbidity, particularly depression and anxiety, amongst university students around the world (Adewuya et al., 2006). Edwards and Holden (2001) discovered that amongst university student looking for counseling services, anxiety and depression were placed first and third as presenting issues, respectively; academic and work-related issues were placed second as the presenting issue. Brackney and Karabenick (1995) disclosed that high degrees of distress, concomitant with limited coping resources, make students less able to meet academic demands.
Depression might represent a state of mind, a sign or a syndrome as a mood; it describes temporary feelings of unhappiness, despair, and discouragement. As a symptom, it describes these feelings, when they linger and are connected with such problems as decreased pleasure, hopelessness, guilt, and disrupted sleeping and eating patterns. The whole syndrome is likewise described jointly as a anxiety or depressive disorder (Gale encyclopedia of psychology, 2001). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) of Mental Disorders, generated by the American Psychiatric Association (2000) classifies depression as an affective, or state of mind disorder.
A depressed state of mind is the experience of sadness or distress. Depression might include feelings of being sad, weak, dissatisfied, annoyed, despairing, helpless, and hopeless (Sarason & Sarason 2002). Many depressed people might be incapable to perform well in academic life due to the fact that they do not have courage in what they are doing (Sindhu, 2016). They might really feel that they are not reaching the standard of performance set for them. Consequently, they constantly feel let down and despairing. They view things adversely and think about themselves as failures. This problem can certainly contribute too many major problems in their academic life such as poor grades (Sindhu, 2016).
Research reveals an inverse correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and depression, particularly among women (Kohn, Dohrenwend, and Mirotznik, 1998; Dohrenwend et al., 1992). While evidence linking social class to depression is not as precise as that linking gender to depression, mixed findings might be due to the variant in the requirements used to figure out SES. It can be determined by years of education, income level, occupational status or a combination of these variables, such as the Nam criteria, which incorporates household income, education and occupation into a percentile score of social status (Nam and Power, 1965). In a review of the literature, Link, Lennon, and Dohrenwend (1993) discovered that rates of depression amongst members of low SES groups are roughly two times those of high SES groups. A 2011 report from the Centers for Disease Control discloses that income level correlates very strongly, in an inverse style, with depression. Kas (2013) Money might not buy joy, however it certain as hell buys freedom from depression.
Looking at it from the perspectives of public health practice, early discovery of psychological health issue amongst young adults in the universities is extremely important in the sense that recognizing the psychological distress such as depression, anxiety and stress, in addition to their correlates would help in ideal screening and intervention programs in a bid to prevent psychological health problems amongst this population (Shamsuddin et al., 2013). In Nigeria, epidemiological information regarding psychological morbidity amongst undergraduate students are not widely known and there is a paucity of research study on prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety and stress amongst undergraduate students in Nigerian universities. Hence, the need for this study to fill the loophole.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Several studies have shown that university students in other part of the world experience high levels of mental health problems such as stress, anxiety and depression. In addition, since early discovery and swift prevention of these psychological health issues amongst university students are very crucial in public health practices, thus, the need for this study to examine strategies and habits that can prevent depression among university students in my environment and in Nigeria as whole. Moreover, through my detailed literature review and to the best of my ability and knowledge, there has been no formal study carried out on strategies and habits that can prevent depression among university students in Nigeria at large as at the time of carrying out this research study. Therefore, this study will serve as a foundation study on an evaluation of strategies and habits that can prevent depression among university students in Nigeria by using Covenant University students as a case study.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
This study has both general and specific objectives. The general objective is to evaluate strategies and habits that can prevent depression among university students in Nigeria by using Covenant University students as a case study. However, the specific objectives include:
i) To establish the relationship between depression and academic performance of university students
ii) To find out if there is a substantial variation in depression levels between male and female university students
iii) To identify ways by which depression can be prevented among university students.
1.4 Research Questions
The research questions for this study include:
i) What is the relationship between depression and academic performance of university students?
ii) Is there any substantial variation in depression levels between male and female university students?
iii) What are the ways by which depression can be prevented among university students?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The research hypotheses for this study include:
i) There is a significant relationship between depression and academic performance of university students
1.6 Significance of the Study
Students, guidance counsellors, the Ministry of Education, parents, and prospective scholars will benefit from the results of this study. The results of the report would favor university students. The causes of test depression among university students in Covenant University will be exposed as a result of the results of this study. Students will be instructed on how to manage test anxiety, which can lead to depression, as a result of the study’s recommendations. This can be accomplished by holding a tutorial for students based on the study’s results. The study’s findings would also be useful to university guidance counsellors.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study covers an evaluation of strategies and habits that can prevent depression among university students in Nigeria and as a result of large concentration of universities in Nigeria which make it impossible for the researcher to focus on all the universities in the country, the researcher therefore uses Covenant University students as a case for this study.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
The study’s focus was limited due to a shortage of funding, research resources, time restrictions and students refusing to speak up.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Depression: is a type of mood condition that can have a significant impact on a person’s everyday life. Sadness, loss, or rage are some of the emotions that come to mind when people think of it.
