Correlates Of Mental Health Among Adolescents In Ikom Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria: Counseling Implications

Abstract

The study investigated the correlates of mental health among adolescents in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design; stratified random sampling was used to select the sample for the study. The population of the study consists of adolescents in Ikom Local Government Area numbering Five Hundred Thousand (500,000).   The sample of 500 adolescent was collected from ten (10) secondary schools in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State. The questionnaire titled Correlates of Mental Health Among Adolescent Questionnaire (COMHAQ) was used for the study. The accruing data was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Statistics. The result of the study indicated a positive relationship between substance abuse, social media on mental health of the adolescents. Based on the result of the study, it was recommended among others that drug education and its effect be included in school curriculum. Rehabilitation counseling and centres to help victims should be established, counselors should encourage and train social media addict on effective usage motivational enhancement therapy.  This will make the adolescent adopt effective social media usage.