MENTAL HEALTH

The rigorous nature of academic tasks coupled with financial and social pressures make university students susceptible to depression. While research has shown that depression does affect one's communication skills, there has not been much light shed on the picture of how this affects the Nigerian Mass Communication student - a need that needs to be addressed given the Mass Communication student's need for a good command of communication skills. This study was therefore done to investigate the effects of depression on the communication skills of undergraduate Mass Communication students at the University of Benin. This study was carried out with the objectives of determining the prevalence and causes of depression among undergraduate Mass Communication students the University of Benin, how it affects their communication skills as well as the objective of proposing potential interventions to address the impact of depression on the students' communication skills. The study was anchored on the tenets of the Spiral of Silence theory and Beck's Cognitive theory. The study used a quantitative research design and collected data through a questionnaire which consisted of 24 close ended questions and 3 open ended questions and was administered to 265 students. The respondents were selected using the Krejcie and Morgan Table as well as stratified random sampling technique. The data was analysed using simple frequencies, percentages, and thematic analysis all presented in tabular forms. Findings from this study revealed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms, with 65.7% of the respondents screening positive with financial pressure (26%) and academic stress (20%) identified as the primary contributing factors. The study also found out that depression significantly impaired the affected respondents' verbal, non-verbal and interpersonal communication skills. A majority of affected students reported difficulties with verbal expression (66.5%), speaking up in class even when they had ideas (70.1%), and public speaking (65.5%). Non-verbal communication skills were also severely affected, with students reporting challenges with maintaining eye contact (69%), negative changes in body language (51.7%), and an inability to pay attention in conversations (54%). The challenges in utilizing interpersonal skills reported by the affected respondents were revealed through thematic analysis which highlighted social withdrawal and avoidance (20.6%) interpersonal difficulties and feelings of disconnection (21.6%) among other key effects. The study concludes that depression creates substantial barriers to the development and utilization of core communication skills essential for Mass Communication students' academic and career success. It recommends the implementation of a multi-tiered support system, including accessible professional mental health services, the fostering of peer support networks, and institutional reforms to alleviate the stressors

The rapid growth of social media use among young people has raised concerns about its potential impact on mental health. This study examined the effects of social media usage on the mental health of undergraduate students at the University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the frequency and patterns of social media use, the relationship between social media engagement and mental health outcomes, students’ awareness of the psychological risks associated with excessive use, and strategies for promoting healthier digital engagement. The study was guided by Social Comparison Theory, which explains how individuals evaluate themselves through comparisons with others, particularly in digital environments. A survey research design was adopted. Data were collected from 490 undergraduate students drawn from different faculties of the University of Benin using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyze patterns of social media usage and mental health experiences, while inferential statistical techniques including Pearson Product–Moment Correlation, independent-samples t-test, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that social media usage is highly prevalent among undergraduate students, with platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, and X being the most frequently used. Many students reported spending several hours daily on these platforms, often during evening and late-night hours. The results further indicated that frequent and prolonged social media use is significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms among students. The study also found that greater awareness of the psychological risks associated with excessive social media use is linked to better mental health outcomes. The study concludes that while social media provides important opportunities for communication and social interaction, excessive engagement may expose students to psychological challenges. It therefore recommends the promotion of digital mental health literacy programs, strengthened counseling services, and institutional strategies that encourage
balanced and responsible social media use among students

Background: Poor mental health among public servants is a growing concern with significant implications for workplace productivity and overall well-being. This study examined the knowledge, attitude, and prevalence of mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, and stress) among public servants in Benin City, Edo State, to identify key influencing factors, gaps in
awareness, negative perceptions, and the extent of these conditions within the workforce in order to promote early identification and treatment, improve employee well-being, and enhance productivity and job performance among public servants. Objective: This study is aimed to determine the lvel of knowledge of mental health, assess attitudes, prevalence and factors influencing mental health status among public servants in, Benin City, Edo state. Methods: A Analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 460 public servants across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Benin City. Respondents were selected using a multistage sampling technique, and data were collected using a pretested self- administered questionnaire adapted from the Depression, Anxiety, stress scale (DASS), job demand control support model (JDCS), and the Effort reward model (ERI). Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Statical significance was set at p˂0.05, and 95% confidence interval. Results: The mean age of respondents was 35 ± 6.9 years. Two hundred and sixty-one (60.0%) of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge of mental health, while 265 (57.6%) held a positive attitude towards mental health. The prevalence of depression was 16.7% (n=77), anxiety was 22.8% (n=105), and stress was 9.3% (n=43). Significant predictors of mental health conditions included high workload (AOR=2.202; CI=1.401–3.462; p=0.001) and conflicts with xvi supervisors or coworkers (AOR=0.493; CI=0.313–0.777; p=0.002). Additionally, sex (p < 0.001), average working hours (p < 0.01), and current cadre (p = 0.021) were significantly associated with the level of good knowledge, while current job role( p˂ 0.001), average working hours (p˂0.048) were significantly associate with positive attitude. Conclusion: Although more than half of the public servants possessed good knowledge and a positive attitude toward mental health, the prevalence of conditions like anxiety remains notable. There is a need for targeted workplace interventions to reduce excessive workloads and improve supportive supervision to enhance the mental well-being of the workforce

The Study Investigate the Influence of Social Media on Mental Health Among Senior Secondary School Students in Oredo Local Government Area. Three research questions were raised to guide this study: What is the level of social media usage among
students in Oredo Local Government Area Edo state, Is there a relationship between social media usage and the mental health of students, What is the difference in relationship between social media usage and mental health of students among male and
female in Oredo Local Government Area Edo state. The population comprises Senior Secondary school students (SSS 1-3) within Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. This includes students from public and private schools. Based on available data and school records, the estimated total number of students in SSS 1-3 across selected public and private secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area is 800. This figure represents the target population from which the sample for this study will be drawn. This study employed a simple random sampling technique to ensure that every student in the population had an equal chance of being selected. This method was chosen to minimize bias and enhance the representativeness of
the sample across Senior Secondary School(SSS 1-3) in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. For this study, a total sample size of 200 students was selected from ten secondary schools within Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. The findings revealed that, there is a high level of social media usage among students, driven by the search for gratifications such as social interaction and identity formation, the level of mental health among the students is low, characterized by early signs of difficulty such as sleep irritation, lack of energy, and self-isolation there is a significant relationship between social media usage and mental health, indicating that
heavy and prolonged time spent on these platforms contributes to increased symptoms of
anxiety and depression. The following recommendations are made: Parents should ensure
that their children are digitally and emotionally prepared for the impact of social media. They should support their children’s well-being by monitoring platform density and encouraging non-screen activities like sports and in-person socializing. Schools should incorporate programs that focus on digital literacy and mental health awareness as part of the secondary education curriculum. This will enhance students' ability to handle "comparison pressure" and improve mental health outcomes. The government should implement policies that ensure all schools have access to mental health counseling services that address digital conditioning and cyberbullying. This will ensure that students are better prepared for the psychological challenges of the digital age

BACKGROUND: In the digital era, university students are increasingly exposed to high levels of online
engagement through academic platforms, social media, and entertainment, leading to a phenomenon known as digital overload. This study examined the relationship between digital overload, mental health (depression), and academic burnout among pharmacy students at the University of Benin, Nigeria, and explored how these factors influence academic performance. OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of digital overload among pharmacy students in UNIBEN. To measure the degree of academic burnout (emotional exhaustion and academic inefficacy) among the respondents. To examine the relationship between digital overload and mental health on academic burnout. To assess the extent to which digital overload and academic burnout affect students academic performance. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted, with data collected from 334 pharmacy students across all levels using a structured questionnaire comprising the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey (MBI-SS) and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25, employing descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and one-way ANOVA tests.