Antecedents of Depression among Undergraduates in Nigerian Private Universities

Abstract

Prevalence of the effect of depression on young adults’ well-being has turned out to be a priority as a result of the simultaneous increase in mental health problems among individuals. Depression being a mental disorder that comes with unhappy mood, loss of interest, low self-worth, insomnia, and poor concentration seems to be ravaging the younger generation, especially undergraduates in tertiary institutions. Hence, this study investigated the antecedents of depression among undergraduates in Nigerian private universities. The research objectives were to (1) examine the level of depression among the undergraduates; (2) assess the past history of depression among the undergraduates;( 3) assess the level of perceived family support among the undergraduates; (4) determine the significant relationship between the history of depression and levels of depression; and (5) to assess the significant relationship between the history of depression and perceived family support. This research work made use of the quantitative source of data, through which data were gathered using a structured questionnaire and administered to 365 undergraduates. The findings showed that the majority of the undergraduates manifest one level of depression or the other, as about one-fifth of the respondents show signs of no form of depression and are thus regarded as normal. The study also showed that the level of perceived family support received by the undergraduates was found to be moderate, and there was a significant relationship between the history of depression and perceived family support. It was also found that there is a significant relationship between history of depression and levels of depression. The study recommends that counseling centers be provided in all institutions so as to give help to students battling with one issue or the other so as to avoid a high level of depression. In addition, parents are advised to show a positive and caring attitude to their children as the experiences a student experiences at home could have a significant influence on the student in school, which could lead to depression or otherwise.