KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF PUBLIC TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS (A CASE STUDY OF ODOSIMADEGUN COMMUNITY, IJEBU NORTH-EAST LGA, OGUN STATE)

ABSTRACT

This research project   was carried out to know the knowledge and attitude of the public towards mental illness. Mental illness is a complex problem. It is thought to be a unique response involving an individual’s personality as it interacts as it interacts with his environment at a time when he is particularly vulnerable to stress. Early repetitive negative interpersonal relationships with the family situation apparently influence the future emotional health of an individual in many unfortunate ways. One of these ways is the lack of development of coping mechanisms that are adequate to meet the usual maturation and situation stressors of the society in which the individual lives. A descriptive and analytical method was used for the research project using tables, simple percentage, two population test i.e. Ztest and chi-square. One hundred (100) questionnaires were used to collect data. Three hypotheses were tested to find out the knowledge and attitude of people towards mentally ill patients. There is no significance difference between literate and illiterate attitude towards mental illness. There is no significance difference between males and females that are not mentally disabled regarding friendship and marriage with mentally ill people. There is no significance difference between literate and illiterate in living with mentally ill people. Findings revealed that both literate and illiterate respondents in Odosimadegun community show a great fear of people with mental illness. It shows that stigmatization of people with mental illness is still on the high side despite civilization and higher level of education and awareness. The respondents from the study show that their level of awareness of mental illness is very high, yet, this did not stop the stigmatization. Based on the findings of the study, the public are implored to give adequate care and concern for the mentally ill, mostly showing love, which will serve as psychotherapy. Also the government should make the service to the mentally ill free of charge.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page                                                                                                                            PAGE

Certification …………………………………………………………………………….      i

Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………     ii

Dedication……………………………………………………………………………….   iii

Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………………   iv

Table of content………………………………………………………………………....  v

List of tables……………………………………………………………………………..  vi

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………… 1-2

Statement of problem……………………………………………………………………. 2

Objective of study……………………………………………………………………….. 2-3

Limitation of study……………………………………………………………………….. 3

Research question………………………………………………………………………… 3

Hypothesis………………………………………………………………………………… 3-4

Operational definition of terms…………………………………………………………... 4

CHAPTER TWO

Literature review…………………………………………………………………….. 6-26

Theoretical framework………………………………………………………………. 26-28

Empirical studies…………………………………………………………………….. 28-29

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE I     Sex of the Respondents……………………………………………………. 35

TABLE II    Age of Respondents………………………………………………………... 36

TABLE III    Marital status of the Respondents…………………………………………. 37

TABLE IV    Educational Qualification of the Respondents……………………………. 38

TABLE V     Religion of the Respondents……………………………………………….. 39

TABLE VI- XIII Distribution of respondents on knowledge……………………………. 40

                          and attitude towards mental illness.

CHAPTER THREE

Research Design……………………………………………………………………………. 30

Setting………………………………………………………………………………………. 30

Population of study………………………………………………………………………… 30

Sample and Sampling Technique………………………………………………………….. 30

Instrument for Data Collection……………………………………………………………. 31

Method of Data Collection………………………………………………………………… 31

Method of Data Analysis………………………………………………………………….. 31

Ethical Consideration……………………………………………………………………… 31

Validity/Reliability of Instrument…………………………………………………………. 32

CHAPTER FOUR

Analysis and Interpretation of Data……………………………………………………….. 33-52

CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion of Findings…………………………………………………………………….. 53

Summary & Conclusion…………………………………………………………………… 54

Recommendations………………………………………………………………………….. 54

References………………………………………………………………………………….. 55-56

Appendix: Questionnaire…………………………………………………………………… 57-59