PREVALENCE OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG ORPHANS AND NON-ORPHANS IN NIGERIA A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Orphanhood is an arduous period, and orphans are more vulnerable to emotional difficulties because they often lack secured parental attachment and care that are crucial for healthy emotional development. The current difficult socioeconomic conditions in Nigeria also put children and adolescents living with their families at risk for emotional problems. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among orphans and non-orphans in Nigeria. The research sample consisted of 200 participants including 100 orphans and 100 non-orphans aged 8-18 years (M= 13). The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-25 (RCADS-25) was the tool used for data collection. The mean score of the total sample was calculated. Independent-Samples T\test was conducted to compare the means of orphans and non-orphans. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was computed to correlate total anxiety and total depression scores. The results showed that there is low prevalence of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents in Nigeria. Orphans had more symptoms of both anxiety and depression, compared to non-orphans. A moderate positive correlation (.570) was found between levels of anxiety and depression, indicating that there is comorbidity between both disorders. The research findings are discussed in the light of relevant research. Further research that utilizes larger, nation-wide samples are recommended to extend this research findings, and timely interventions should be administered to children experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.