Psychosocial problems and development of psychopathology among Ugandan university students
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Date
2014
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Research Studies in Psychology
Abstract
The impact of psychosocial problems on the development of psychopathology
(depression/anxiety) among university students is an area that greatly remains unexplored
leading to insufficient assessment of the mental health status of the students. Consequently,
students’ psychosocial problems and psychopathology if left untreated and unchecked, they
may severely interfere in their everyday functioning and manifest compromised social
cohesion, mental health and wellbeing, with the increased likelihood of future instability and
conflict. The aim of the study was to address a broader understanding of a multidimensional
aspect of psychosocial problems to the development of psychopathology (anxiety, depression)
for university students in Uganda. It was hypothesized that there is no relationship between
exposure to psychosocial problems and the development of psychopathology. This
cross-sectional study was a secondary analysis of data from the PhD study on development
and validation of an instrument to measure psychosocial problems of university students. The
University Students Evaluation of Psychosocial Problems (USEPP) instrument was used to
evaluate psychosocial problems. The two symptoms of psychopathology denoting common
mental disorders were measured using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 10 (HSCL-10).
Regression analysis was performed to establish the relationship between psychosocial
problems and psychopathology. The findings of this study revealed that students having
psychosocial problems were significantly related to the development of psychopathology. The
findings highlight to the need to put intervention measures to address the students’
psychosocial problems and mental health disorders by putting counselling infrastructure in
institutions of learning to address the mental health needs of the students.
Description
Keywords
Mental health, University students, Counselling services
Citation
Nsereko, N., Musisi, S., Nakigudde, J., & Ssekiwu, D. (2014). Psychosocial problems and development of psychopathology among Ugandan university students. International Journal of Research Studies in Psychology, 3(3), 3-16. DOI: 10.5861/ijrsp.2014.638