Social support, resilience, and mental health of students in a university in Namibia
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Date
2024
Authors
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
Aim: Mental health challenges have become a major concern for university
students. University life can cause stress for some students, which, if left
untreated, can lead to mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, eating
disorders, and sleep disorders. The current study aimed to describe the levels of
social support, resilience, and mental health of undergraduate students at UNAM’s
main campus, as well as to describe the relationships between these variables.
Methods: This descriptive correlational study used a quantitative approach. The
research instruments included a socio-demographic questionnaire, the MSPSS-12
(to measure social support), the CD-RISC-10 (to measure resilience), and the
GHQ-12 (to measure mental health). A convenience sample (n=146) of full-time
undergraduates was used. The study received ethical clearance from the
Decentralised Ethics Committee (CDC) by the University of Namibia’s Research
Ethics Policy and Guidelines. The SPSS version 29 was used for the analysis of
the data. Specifically, descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlations were
employed. Results: This study had more (n=105; 72%) female participants than
male participants with the youngest being 18 years old and the oldest 55 years old.
This study’s findings revealed that social support and resilience were positively
related (r = 0.619; p = <0.0001). Social support negatively affected mental health
(r=-0.672 p=<.001). This study found that a larger number of female participants
experienced anxiety and depression than male participants. Resilience negatively
affected mental health (r=-0.653 p=<.001). If individuals are not resilient, they
become vulnerable to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. However,
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when individuals have adequate social support, they tend to be resilient to stressful
situations and consequently experience good mental health. Conclusion:
Appropriate interventions may be put in place for mental health, to raise awareness
of the importance of good mental health and resilience to maintain overall well being. This study recommends interventions that may identify, prevent, and treat
mental health illnesses should be easily accessed on campus and these may include
meditation, yoga, relaxation techniques, and mindfulness techniques. The
university should consider psycho-education on mental health as a module
compulsory for all first-year students as this will equip them with crucial
information on stress, resilience, and ways to cope when they face challenges. The
findings of this study could be used as a point of reference to inform higher
learning institutions’ policymakers, service providers, and stakeholders involved
in the implementation of mental health awareness, interventions, and prevention
services in higher learning institutions.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master in clinical psychology
Keywords
Social support, Resilience, Mental health, University students, Namibia, MSPSS-12, CD-RISC-10, GHQ-12