Lived experiences of stressors and problems of higher education students on teacher education course in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, 2019

Introduction: there is increasing levels of stressors and hardship among higher education students especially in low and middle income countries. Higher education institutions have an important role to play in the provision of robust and comprehensive support for students who experience stressors and hardship. Research and action in this area has however not been prioritized by the institutions in Zimbabwe. This study examined students´ expression of their experience with stressors and problems of studying in higher education in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Methods: the study employed a qualitative approach using the phenomenology approach. Three institutions of higher education in the eastern border highlands of Zimbabwe were considered. Four focus group discussions were conducted with eight participants in each group. A one-to-one semi-structured interview with eight individual participants was also conducted to further examine the issues raised in the focus groups. Data were analyzed thematically using the Silences Framework theoretical model. Results: five overarching themes emerged from the analysis: (i) the stress of completing assessments without adequate learning materials. (ii) Unfair placement workload results into poor assessment outcomes. (iii) College-life is more difficult due to financial constraints. (iv) Marital problems interfering with college work: there is no mental health service available. (v) Enduring pains of bereavement with no emotional support or helpline. Conclusion: the study recommends the need to develop an inter-ministerial mental health strategy for institutions of higher learning with the view of implementing policies that address students suffering in Zimbabwean HE institutions

Exploring critical understanding of hoarding distress among elderly people in Nigeria: a review of Smail's Impress of Power model

One of the neglected areas of psychological research is hoarding distress among older population. This paper offers an exploratory and critical perspectives to understanding hoarding behaviour as a reflection of how psychological distresses manifest in older people. Owing to the Smail's Impress of Power model, psychological distresses are triggered by socioeconomic and political factors that operates beyond the individuals. In addition, the paper argued that older people play an essential role in a conservative cultural society like Nigeria. Therefore, building an old age-friendly society would include harmonious utilisation of sustainable development and good governance with specific targets on the critical policy re-organisation and the involvement of older people in developing desired modern communities

“People with mild depression, one thing that is sustaining them is the teaching from their various religious leaders”: A qualitative study of religious beliefs about mental health in Nigeria

Purpose: Mental Health Conditions (MHCs) such as anxiety, depression or psychosis constitute integral aspects of global health disease burden and historically construed differently depending on faith or religious context. Notwithstanding, the Nigerian context of religious beliefs about mental health is under-researched. Method: The study draws on a qualitative design from a critical realist and social constructionist theoretical lens to explore lay participants (LP) and mental healthcare practitioners (MHPs) perceptions concerning religious beliefs and mental health. A semi-structured interview was adopted to collate data from 53 purposively selected participants recruited from Jos, Zaria, Enugu and Ado-Ekiti cities in Nigeria. Of the 53, (MHPs = 26; LPs = 27; male = 32; female = 21). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Three major themes emerged, namely: (i) evil forces and spirits are believed to be the primary causes of MHCs (ii) believed in the beneficial role of religious clerics in healing MHCs (iii) description of religious healing as a superior form of treatment modality for MHCs, and (iv) rebuttal of the effectiveness of religious healing for MHCs. Conclusions: The perceived potency of religious healing as a viable alternative to the western biomedical treatment for MHCs. Mental health policy and practice could strengthen avenues and modalities for religious healing, considering its potential benefits to improving the religious believers' mental health and well-being

The perception of Boko Haram depressive anxiety to stress among northern and non-northern Nigerians

The social need for moral consensus and restraint of selfish impulses arose religion. The assumption from the traditional ethical perspective is that these social needs are necessary to address the needs towards peaceful co-existence. However, the emergence of extreme sub-cultural religious groups within the context of the Nigerian society bas unleashed a terror on the Nigerian state with the intent to curve out an entity, hence, identity. The Boko Haram phenomenon, whose varying perception has caused varying degree of emotional adjustment among Nigerians. Two hundred and fifty four (131 females, 123 males) including 127 non-northerners and 127 northerners were utilised for this study. The t-test was used to examine two predictions. The first prediction was examined to reveal no significant difference in perception of terrorism of Boko Haram between northerners and non-northerners, t (252)=-2.509, p>.05. The second prediction did not give a significant difference on adjustment to depression, anxiety and stress between northerners and non-northerners, (252)=-1.065, p>.05. It suggests that though Boko Haram as a terrorist group is of northern extraction, perception towards the group and depression, anxiety and stress abound and differed among northerners and non-northerners

Women’s perceptions of domestic and intimate partner violence alongside government’s interventions in Nigeria: a qualitative study

Domestic violence, including intimate partner violence, increased exponentially following the Covid-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, there appears to be a paucity of research that draws on a social constructionist theoretical lens to explore women’s perspectives of the Nigerian government’s interventions addressing such violence. The study recruited twenty-four purposively selected female participants from Delta state, Nigeria. Informed by a social constructionist thematic analysis, findings revealed that they were a perceived sense that law enforcement agencies’ gender-biased response to domestic violence complaints and lack of awareness of legal solutions fuel domestic violence. The study recommends a randomised control trial to test the efficacy of legal education interventions in improving domestic violence awareness in Nigeria

Children's use of prosody and word order to indicate information status in English noun phrase conjuncts

Our study investigates the influence of information status on word order and prosody in children and adults. Using an elicited production task, we examine the ordering and intonation of noun phrases in phrasal conjuncts in 3-5-year-old and adult speakers of English. Findings show that English-speaking children are less likely to employ the "old-before-new" order than adults and are also not adult-like in using prosody to mark information status. Our study suggests that even though intonation and word order are linguistic devices that are acquired early, their use to mark information status is still developing at age four

Learning through play plus culturally adapted cognitive behaviour therapy for treating postnatal depression and improving child wellbeing in Nigeria: a participatory action research for manual adaptation

Background: Maternal depression constitutes an integral aspect of the global health disease burden. Depressed mothers are more at risk of self-harm, and many children lack adequate developmental support due to mothers’ postnatal depression. However, manualised, evidence-based, and culturally appropriate postnatal intervention is under-researched in Nigeria. Design: Participatory Action Research (PAR) designed to review the intervention contents and materials for its suitability within the Nigerian context and culture in preparation for randomised controlled trials. Method: Underpinned by the theory of social change, the study employed PAR to challenge the existing power relations in maternal mental health treatment to understand what works within the Nigerian context. The PAR discussion lasted 97.04 minutes with N=9 participants (n=5 mothers who are community health workers; n=4 researchers). Of the N=9 participants, n=6 females and n=3 males. Before the PAR discussion, all participants received three days of comprehensive training and engagement with the intervention materials called Learning Through Play plus Culturally adapted Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (LTP+CaCBT) designed for treating postnatal depression. As a result, all participants consented to the study, and discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Preliminary findings: Three themes emerged: (i) desired culture-specific pictorial illustrations depicting the Nigerian context (ii) use of Nigerian indigenous context for exemplifying mother-child activities (iii) sensitivity to the Nigerian cultural and superstitious beliefs. Preliminary conclusions: The LTP+CaCBT entails a pictorial calendar grounded on attachment theory and caters for the low literacy population. It provides mothers with valuable parenting skills and enhances the mother-child relationship. Also, it gives a ‘here and now’ problem-solving approach and changes negative thinking associated with postnatal depression. If well-adapted, LTP+CaCBT is low cost, sustainable, community-based and culturally relevant intervention that appears to be novel to existing treatment options for postnatal depression in Nigeria. For example, it is manualised and delivered by trained indigenous community health workers

Exploring enablers of sexually transmitted infections among illegal gold miners in the midlands region of Zimbabwe

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa faces by far the highest rate of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Illegal mineworkers are considered at risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Men are generally not receptive to health promotion messages. Methods: This study explored the enablers of sexually transmitted infections. The study utilized a qualitative approach. A total of 40 participants were recruited. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data. A thematic approach was used to analyze the data. Zimbabwe, like any other country in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, has been affected by the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and other STIs, because of poor sexual health education. Results: The study found that the enablers of STIs included poor sexual health knowledge, substance misuse, prolonged stay from family, stigma, lack of entertainment, cultural status, and poor sexual health services. Conclusions: STIs among illegal gold miners is a public health concern that needs urgent attention in many developing countries