The Influence of Social Support on the Levels of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Students in Ghana

This study examined the impact of social support from family, friends and significant others on the levels depression, anxiety and stress among undergraduate students of University of Ghana.  A total of one hundred and sixty-five (165) students were sampled from all the levels and were administered with standardized questionnaires measuring social support, depression, anxiety and stress. Results from the analysis using descriptive statistics, regression analysis, independent t-test and MANOVA showed that 57% of the respondents reported mild to extremely severe depression, 84% had mild to extremely severe anxiety whilst 49% reported mild to extremely severe stress. The level of depression was significantly predicted by support from friends and significant others, level of anxiety was not significantly predicted by any form of social support whilst level of stress experienced by students was significantly predicted by social support from family. Further analysis showed that significant sex differences exist in the levels of depression, anxiety and stress. However, academic levels of students had a significant effect on level of depression but not on anxiety and stress. It is concluded that students should be encouraged to make use of their counseling and placement centers and peer counselors to help them deal with their psychological issues. Keywords: Social Support, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Students, Ghana, Universit

Health Consciousness and Eating Habits among Non–medical Students in Ghana: A Cross-sectional Study

Health consciousness is a determinant of healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle in effect is a necessary condition for academic success. The study was conducted to examine the relationships that existed between health consciousness and eating habits. A sample of one hundred and fifty (150) students from the University of Ghana comprising of all four levels in the undergraduate programme were selected through a convenience sampling technique for the study. Data was collected through self- administered questionnaires which included questions that captured demography, health consciousness and eating habits of the respondents. The age range of the respondents was between 17 and 25 years. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between health consciousness and eating habits (p < 0.05). Findings and limitations as well as conclusions are discussed

Emotional intelligence and personal growth initiative effects on subjective happiness among university students

This study examined emotional intelligence and personal growth initiative influences on the level of subjective happiness among university students in Ghana. Two hundred and sixty undergraduate students were participants (female = 69.8%; mean age = 21.72 years, SD = 3.61 years). They responded to measures of emotional intelligence, personal growth initiative, and subjective happiness. After controlling for their demographic characteristics, and following hierarchical regression analysis, results indicate emotional intelligence and intentional behaviour domain of personal growth to predict students' level of subjective happiness. These findings suggest that students' ability to manage and utilise their emotions, as well as their personal growth initiative contribute significantly to their level of happiness

Creating a Space for Clinical Psychologists in Healthcare System in Ghana: Is it Necessary?

The relevance of the clinical psychologists in the health sector cannot be underestimated. It is now recognized that psychological issues play a crucial role in almost every health care condition, and that addressing these issues will increase well-being and quality of life. One important role is the prevention of diseases, through behavior medicine (Ogden, 2000); whereby people can be helped to behave in healthier ways, given that many illnesses or disabilities could be prevented. However, there is a misconception among Ghanaians that clinical psychologists are only meant for the mental hospitals which is due to ignorance about what exactly the field is about. This paper argues that Clinical psychologists can do more in providing healthcare services to Ghanaians beyond mental health services and also makes recommendations concerning the training and placement of Clinical psychologists in Ghana

Social Relationships among Women in Ghana: “A Blessing” or “A Curse” to their Psychological Well-being?

The study seeks to find out the impact of social relationships on the psychological well-being of women in Ghana. A total of two hundred (N=200) women from diverse socio-economic background living in Accra at the time of data collection were conveniently and purposively sampled for the study. Ninety-two (46%) of the participants had a history of various mental illnesses and were reporting for review at the Accra psychiatric and Pantang hospitals. One hundred and eight (54%) had no history of mental illness and reside or work in Adenta, Madina and Legon communities. The psychological well-being sub scale of the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38) was used to assess psychological well-being of the participants. Social support and social negativity were assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Social negativity Questionnaire respectively (SNQ). Results from Pearson Product Moment Correlation revealed a non-significant relationship between Perceived social support and psychological well-being, but social negativity had a significant negative relationship with psychological well-being. History of mental illness did not make any significant difference in participants’ level of perceived social support and social negativity