MENTAL HEALTH

This study examined the Cyberbullying And Mental Health Among Students In University Of Benin. A total of 140 respondents participated in the study, providing insights into their perception on cyber bullying and mental health, and the relationship between the two. This study employed a descriptive survey research design, The data for this study was collected by using the questionnaires, The findings indicate that The mental health impact of cyberbullying was also significant, with anxiety being the most common psychological consequence, followed by depression and stress. Many students also reported low self-esteemand a sense of social isolation. These findings underscore the severe consequences of cyberbullying, affecting students’ mental well being and overall academic performance. The study concluded that The low awareness of available support systems, along with their perceived ineffectiveness, highlights a gap in addressing the needs of students who are victims of cyberbullying

This study investigated the mental health challenges affecting residents in Uselu Community, Egor Local Government Area, Benin City, Edo State. To achieve the purpose of the study, fifteen (15) research questions subdivided into five (5) thematic parts were raised and answered. The population of the study consisted of residents living within key areas of Uselu Community. Available data from the National Population Census (NPC, 2025) indicates that Uselu Community forms part of the estimated 404,218 residents in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. The sample size for this study consisted of sixty (60) respondents. The data collected was analyzed using frequency count and simple percentage. The study revealed that there is a significant presence of mental health challenges in Uselu Community, particularly stress, depression, anxiety, substance-related issues, and emotional strain. It was concluded that these challenges are driven by socio-economic difficulties, stigma, limited awareness of mental health, cultural beliefs, and poor access to professional care. The findings further showed that while some residents possess basic knowledge of mental health, many still avoid seeking help due to fear of discrimination. The study also revealed that social workers contribute through counselling, advocacy, community sensitization, referral services, and direct support to vulnerable individuals, although their efforts are often hindered by inadequate resources. The study recommended among others that the government, health agencies, and community leaders should intensify mental health awareness campaigns and strengthen access to community-based mental health services. Social workers should be provided with adequate tools to implement effective intervention strategies. Local authorities must also create mechanisms to monitor mental health risks and encourage early reporting and treatment of affected persons

The study assessed the impact of the community based mental health programme onyouthsdevelopment in Ekosodin Community, Benin City. The population of the study comprisedfour hundred (400) respondents who are youths between the ages of 18 to 35 years whohavelived in Ekosodin community in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The research method/designused for the study was survey research. The data collected from the respondents wereusedfor data analysis through simple descriptive statistics namely, simple percentage, frequencycount and mean rating. The findings of the research concluded that there are manyfactorsthat contribute to the incidence of mental health challenges among youths of Ekosodincommunity such as peer pressure, substance abuse, unemployment, financial problems, family challenges, lack of parental guidance etc. The community based mental healthprogramme has a significant impact on youth development in Ekosodin community, BeninCity. There are many limitations to the community based mental health programmeinEkosodin Community such as lack of financing to sustain mental health programming, stigmaand discrimination and lack of community awareness which impairs the effectiveness of thecommunity based mental health programme. Social workers play a significant role inthesuccessful implementation and effectiveness of mental health programming by helpingtoascertain who needs special programmes, joining forces with other professionals intheimplementation of mental health programming, bridging the gap between the communityandmental health service providers and increasing effectiveness and sustainability of communitybased mental health programmes. Based on these findings, it was suggested that thegovernment and other stakeholders increase funding and material resources for thecommunity based mental health programme in Ekosodin. Increased financial resources will support what is currently being done, allow for trained professionals to be hired, andcreatemodern counselling and therapy spaces for the youths.