FUW TRENDS IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(A Peer Review Journal)
e–ISSN: 2408–5162; p–ISSN: 2048–5170
keywords: Mental health, emotional health, needs, adolescents
The study identified the mental and emotional health needs of adolescents in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria with special reference to Rivers State. Four specific objectives with corresponding research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. The study utilized cross-sectional research design. The study covered a population of 1,559,615 adolescents in Rivers State. A sample of 1,632 adolescents filled the questionnaire but data from 1375 copies of completed questionnaire representing 84 per cent return rate were used for analysis. Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to draw the sample from the population. The instruments for data collection were a questionnaire and focus group discussion guide. Means and standard deviation were utilized to answer the research questions, while t-test and ANOVA were utilized in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Qualitative data generated from the focus group discussion were used to substantiate the quantitative data. The finding of the study revealed that adolescents in Rivers State have mental and emotional health needs always; both male and female, age groups 10-15years, 16-18years and 19-24years; and urban and rural adolescents have the needs always. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that programmes should be put in place in order to meet and satisfy adolescents mental and emotional health needs.
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