CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background to the Study
Parents play a vital and significant part in initiating and maintaining help-seeking for psychological health problems among their children. Due to young people’s preferences for informal support (Leavey, Rothi, & Paul, 2011), they depend on their parents to recognize the signs of depression, poor mental health and instigate help-seeking, (Logan & King, 2013). Parental engagement in care is crucial largely because it reinforces the efficacy of treatment outcomes, (Haine-Schlagel & Walsh, 2015). However, help-seeking by parents can be inhibited by a lack of awareness of available services, stigma, time constraints, and financial costs, (Cometto, 2014; Patil et al., 2016; Reardon et al., 2017). It is estimated that up to 40% of parents are unaware of their child’s psychological health difficulties, (Teagle, 2012), believing that the issues do not warrant treatment or will resolve with time, (Girio-Herrera & Sarno Owens, 2017). Among parents that have sought help, many feel that their needs have not been met, (Lawrence et al., 2015). Services have been described as inflexible, inaccessible, and unresponsive, (Boulter & Rickwood, 2013). Parents report that unhelpful advice, insufficient information, poor emotional support, perceived judgement, and delayed diagnoses inhibit their help-seeking, (Boulter & Rickwood, 2013). As a result, many young people do not receive psychological healthcare that is ongoing and effective.
The well-being of human in general, and their depression state in particular, are important themes in recent discussions in the Western world. The social integration and participation of human in society are seen as indicators of productive aging, and the alleviation of depression forms part of policies aimed at achieving the goal of ‘successful’ aging, (Theeke, 2013). The ability of an individual to have close relationships with another is one of the most important features of a healthy personality, (Perris, Arrindell, Perris, Eisemann, Vander Ende, & Von Knorring, 2015). Close relationships influence the personal and social development processes of people considerably. From a perspective of attachment theory, the quality of one’s closest relationships beginning in infancy set the stage for subsequent development. When these relationships are secure, they promote self-reliance, confident exploration of the environment, and resiliency in dealing with life’s stresses and crises, (Bowlby, 1979). On the other hand, lack of secure attachment can lead to difficulties in regulating emotions and relating to others, engendering a vulnerability to psychological distress, loneliness and depression, (Ouellette & DiPlacido, 2012).
It is a known fact that parental attitudes have a great influence on children’s and early adolescents’ behavior and personal traits. Bahçivan-Saydam and Gençöz, (2014) revealed that, while accepting and friendly parental attitudes resulted in less problems with teenagers, strict and controlling parental attitudes increased problems with teenagers. On the other hand, teenagers with neglectful and authoritarian parents have lower social self-esteem, (Martinez & Garcia, 2011). Parents continue to be controlling because they believe that children cannot develop desired behaviors on their own. On the contrary, supportive parental attitudes result in increased self-esteem in teenagers, (Frank et al., 2010; Plunkett et al., 2013). Children who have authoritative parents compared to authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful parents have higher self-esteem and life satisfaction, and lower depression, (Milevsky et al., 2014). Positive parental attitudes cause increase in self-esteem, and decrease in depression in teenagers. Whereas authoritarian parental attitudes are predicted to cause negative self-esteem in teenagers, accepting parental attitudes are predicted to cause positive self-esteem, (Young, Miller, Norton, & Hill, 2013).
According to the report by the World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2014) summarized key risk factors for depression including isolation, loneliness, relationship conflict or loss, previous suicide attempt, mental disorder, harmful use of alcohol, loss of employment, financial problems, chronic pain, family history of suicide and genetic and biological factors, as well as influences from a wider systemic level such as access to means and the availability of appropriate health care. The report further emphasized that vulnerability to depression is likely to result from the cumulative effect of a number of risk factors.
Man experiences a wide spectrum of mood from low to high. Mood may be high, motivated, depressed and sad. Depressive disorder is one of the commonest psychiatric disorders which is present either as offensive reactions to internal or external factors or as a certain disease as one of the common manifestations of mental disturbance in human communities, (Peltzer, 2014). Depression is common in adolescents and especially in high school students and is one of the most frequent mental disorders among teenagers. In this age group, fundamental impairments due to this illness, not only influence on the performance of daily tasks, but as well can lead to fatal acts such as suicidal behavior, (Cantwell, & Carlson, 2011). This may cause formation of unstable families in the future and finally a desperate society. Depression often has considerable effect on quality of life, health, social and vocational performance and physical activities.
A recent review highlighted depression as one of the key psychological risk factors for suicidal ideation and behaviour, (O'Connor & Nock, 2014). Feelings of depression have been found to be associated with initiation of self-harm, (Milnes, David, & Blenkiron, 2002), risk of repeat self-harm (McMillan, Gilbody, Beresford, & Neilly, 2007) and suicide (Beck et al., 2010). In a recent international review of case-control and cohort studies, depression was found to be associated with a greater than twofold increase in risk of suicide amongst people with loneliness, (Hawton, Harriss, Hall, Simkin, Bale, & Bond, 2013). Pincus et al., (2013) in their article, declared that between 2005 and 2010 patient visits to primary care providers for the treatment of depression are doubled. Furthermore, researches show failure to detect major depression and suboptimal use of antidepressant medications in the primary care settings and disorders remain under diagnosed and under treated, (Rouchelle et al., 2000). A study related to patients who receive care at a variety of primary care centers and specialists care offices showed that only 29% of those with high severity depression have received an antidepressant, (Wells et al., 2011). Another study revealed that only 45% patients who were high users of primary care services, have diagnosed with depression and in need of treatment, moreover, only 1 in 9 patients have received adequate dose and duration of antidepressant treatment, (Kato & Schuberg, 2013)
Therefore, it is based on this background that this study will examine parents’ reported experience and attitude towards depression among undergraduates.
1.2. Statement of the Problem
Depression is a complex issue that is associated to the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being, and influenced by personal, community, and societal factors. It is defined as a state in which a person lacks engagement with others, has few social contacts, lacks quality and fulfillment in their relationships, and lacks a sense of belonging. Depressed persons face an increased risk for numerous physical health issues, including impaired mobility, lung disease, arthritis, infectious illness, heart disease, and death.
Depression has as well been demonstrated to impact psychological health and well-being, and has been linked to loneliness, anxiety, social stigma, dementia, and increased risk of cognitive decline. Relatedly, experiences of depression can lead to low self-esteem, internalization of blame, feelings of powerlessness, and avoidance of community engagement. A review of several studies showed that, individuals with strong social relationships (i.e. higher participation in social networks and greater social support) were 50percent less likely to die early than those without, and that the mortality risk associated with social disconnection was on par with smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day or excessive drinking, more harmful than not exercising, and twice as harmful as obesity.
Depression has also been linked to a range of behaviours that increase the risk of disease. Studies have indicated that unemployed and less socially connected people are more likely to smoke, consume fewer fruits and vegetables, be less physically active, and drink more heavily. Depression among students has also been linked to a negative impact on food intake and poor nutrition.
Based on the above, many of the studies didn’t focus on parents reported experience and attitude, which is a gap this study will fill by examining parents’ reported experience and attitude towards depression among undergraduates in Ogun State.
1.3. Research Objectives
The primary aim of this study is to assess parents’ reported experience and attitude towards depression among undergraduates in Ogun State. The specific objectives will be to:
- examine the influence of depression on undergraduate students
- identify the attitude of parents’ on depression among undergraduate students
- find out the causes of depression among undergraduate students
1.4. Research Questions
Based on the above research objectives, the following research questions will be poised.
- Is there any significant influence of depression on undergraduate students?
- What is the attitude of parents towards depression among undergraduate students?
- What are the identifiable causes of depression among undergraduate students?
1.5. Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses will be formulated in their null form.
Ho1: There is no significant influence of depression on undergraduate students.
Ho2: Parents’ attitude has no significant influence on depression among undergraduate students
Ho3: There are no identifiable causes of depression among undergraduate students
1.6. Significance of the Study
It is strongly believed that by evaluating some of the factors that contribute to depression among humans in the society, the government, practitioners, private and public sectors, parents, individuals and general public will deploy good strategies through the provision of employment, good health care such as guidance and counseling, good infrastructure and many more that will help eradicate or minimize the factors in order to make the society a more and better conducive place to live in.
1.7. Scope of the Study
The study is limited to finding out the parents reported experience and attitude towards depression among undergraduates in Ogun State. Furthermore, the research intends to study the causes of depression among undergraduates and to provide remedy for it. The study would be limited to undergraduates’ parents of selected universities in Ogun State, which are Babcock University and Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun State. This is due to constraints like degree of precision, cost and time involve. Further, the study will be limited to the use of questionnaire as a primary source of data to gather the opinion of the respondents.
1.8. Operational Definition of Terms
Depression: is a mood disorder that can affect a person’s daily life. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger.
Parents: are caregiver of the offspring in their own species.
Loneliness: is a situation experienced by the individual as one where there is an unpleasant or inadmissible lack of (quality of) certain relationships.
Undergraduates: is a college or university student who is not yet a graduate student.
Attitude: is a way of feeling or acting toward a person, thing or situation.
Isolation: is a state in which an individual lacks engagement with others, has few social contacts, lacks quality and fulfillment in their relationships, and lacks a sense of belonging.
