Abstract
The study examined the prevalence of mental health challenges among children and adolescents aged nine to 18 in the Ushafa Bwari Education District, Nigeria and the risk and resilience factors that affect their mental health challenges. The study was conducted in three phases. In Phase One, data was collected by using the Child and Youth Mental Health Profiling System (CYMHPS), a web-based questionnaire, comprising six standardised self-report questionnaires to identify the risk and resilience factors in children and adolescents, namely: the Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder questionnaire, the About Me Questionnaire, the Climate Change Questionnaire and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure. The tests were used to identify the prevalence of mental health challenges and the related risk and resilience factors. A total of 794 participants (females = 394, males = 400, median age = 14 years and mean age 13.66) from 30 schools were selected, 400 learners from nine primary schools (ages 9–12) and 400 learners from 21 secondary schools (ages 13–18). 800 participants completed the questionnaire, but only 794 filled it correctly. The participants completed either the CYMHPS online or on paper. Quantitative data were analysed with SPSS 29.0
Phase Two used qualitative approaches such as individual interviews, focus group discussions and collages. Thirty-seven participants were chosen through purposive sampling to learn about their experiences of vulnerability and resilience that contributed to their mental health. Qualitative data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis steps, and the Quirkos software was used to code and analyse the data.
In Phase Three, the integrated analysed data revealed the common mental health difficulties experienced by the learners were anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep difficulties, behavioural problems and social withdrawal as common mental health problems. The risks that contributed to their poor mental health were poverty, exposure to violence, family conflict, inconsistent caregiving, academic pressure and limited access to early school-based support services. Several resilience factors that contributed to their positive mental health were also identified, namely...