Teachers’ perceived causes of aggressive behaviours among hearing impaired secondary school Students in Oyo State

Hearing impairment is one of the most common congenital and acquired diseases in children and it is invisible. One would assume that individuals with Hearing impairment encounter more difficulties regarding their adjustment because they often face multiple challenges, such as speech and language delays, communication problems, psycho-social adjustment/problems and less or no access to the sound-dominated world. Reduced participation of these children in social life limit the quality of life. This study investigated teachers’ perceived causes of aggressive behaviours among hearing impaired secondary school students in Oyo state. Influence of moderating variables such as gender, age and tribe were examined. Descriptive survey method was employed. A total of 220 secondary school teachers were selected through random sampling techniques. The participants responded to a questionnaire entitled Causes of Aggressive Behaviours among Hearing Impaired Students (CABAHIS). The reliability of the instrument was established using test re-test reliability method, a correlation coefficient of 0.76 was derived. The data collected were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Percentage was used for the demographic data while t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical tools were used to analyze the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Result showed that the causes of aggressive behaviours among hearing impaired students in Oyo State include: unmet needs, being unnecessarily provoked by non-handicapped peers, poor self-concept, and low self-esteem among others. Gender, age had no significant influences on the causes of aggressive behaviours among hearing impaired students in Oyo State. It is therefore recommended that teachers and school counsellors should implement a parent-guidance programme on knowledge and skills regarding the prevention and handling of aggressive behaviour

Roles of counsellors in promoting national integration as viewed by counsellors in Nigeria

In Nigeria, there are issues of insecurity, disintegration, lawlessness and heightened corruption among others. Issues of this nature need the role of counsellors when stakeholders are formulating policies for national integration. Hence, it is on this premise that this study investigated the role of counsellors in promoting National integration in Nigeria. The research design adopted for the study was the descriptive survey type. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted in selecting the respondents that participated in the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 460 respondents for the study. The instrument used in gathering the required data was a self-developed questionnaire titled “Role of Counsellors in Promoting National Integration Questionnaire” (RCNIQ). Three null hypotheses were generated and tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance using t-test statistical tool. The result obtained revealed that there was significant difference in the role of counsellors in promoting National integration based on gender, educational qualification and length of years in service. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that more school counsellors should enlighten the students on the need for unity and integration among Nigerians.  Seminars and workshops should be organized by counsellors in collaboration with the government, Non-Governmental Organizations and other stakeholders in order to discuss and tackle contemporary issues on National integration and stability. Keywords: Counsellors, National Integration, Stability, Advocac

Internet-based psychological interventions to improve mental health: Preference for and willingness to use among students in a Nigerian university

Objective: To assess the willingness and preference for Internet-Based Mental Health interventions among university students using a validated self-administered questionnaire, the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire (MHLq) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12).Design: A cross-sectional multi-staged randomized study.Setting: The setting was the University of Ilorin, NigeriaSubjects: A total of 3,300 undergraduate students were assessed.Main Outcome Measures: The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used for data analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics, and regression analysis to predict factors associated with willingness and preference was done. Level of significance was set at p-value of 0.05 and confidence interval at 95%.Results: Preference for Internet-Based Mental Health intervention compared to Face-to-Face intervention was 27.7% amongst the 3,179 analyzable questionnaires, while 48.6% respondents were willing to use Internet-Based Mental Intervention. Predictors of willingness to use internet-based support were monogamous family setting (aOR= 1.486), help seeking behaviour (aOR= 2.683) and probable mental illness (aOR= 0.333) while predictors of preference for Internet-Based Intervention over Face-to-Face therapy were younger age (aOR= 1.377), female gender (aOR =1.342), satisfactory relationship with mother and father (aOR = 1.607. 1. 466 respectively), self-help strategies (aOR= 0.713) and good knowledge of mental health (aOR =1.610).Conclusion: Internet-Based Interventions is a viable choice for improving university students’ mental health. Further studies may explore acceptability and use of different aspects of internet-based intervention

Understanding university community’s mental health needs and the determinants of wellbeing sequala: a qualitative study

Mental health among university students is on the increase every day, therefore this study investigates mental health needs and determinants of psychological well-being of the university community. This explanatory qualitative research design used a purposive sampling technique to sample 13-participant (with age-ranged between 21 to 57years; age mean=30.7years) at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Data was gathered using a key informant interview. Themes emerged from the data analysis, and excerpts from the participant interviews were used to illustrate the themes. Following data analysis, the research study found that the age of adolescents with emotional dysregulation, poor lecturers/students relationships, study life imbalance, and inaccessibility to counseling services were shown as the determinants of mental health among university students. Results revealed that there is a need for internet-based mental health services with substance abuse screening and audio/visual display facilities. Furthermore, empowerment of counseling staff, students, and the university community with periodic workshops/seminars on mental health awareness and integration of mental health modules into the General Studies (GNS) curriculum was found as the needs of the university community to boost their mental healthiness. We conclude that adolescence age, poor lecturer-student relationships, study life imbalance, and inaccessible counseling services are determinants of psychological distress. Therefore, insightful and rebranded interventions like e-mental health services and awareness programs are required to restore psychological wellbeing on the university campus