Abstract:
This study examined the relationship among academic stress, depression and
mental health of final year students of tertiary institutions in Sokoto metropolis.
Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population
of the study was 12,294 students while 378 students were selected as the sample.
Three set of instruments were used for data collection: Adopted Version of
Student Academic Stress Scale (SASS) to measure academic stress, adopted
version of Students’Depression Inventory (SDI) to measure students' depression
and adapted version of Mental Health Inventory (MHI) to measure mental health.
The results of the findings showed that there was significant relationship between
academic stress and mental health of final year students. It was also found,
among other findings, that there is significant relationship between depression
experienced by final year students in tertiary institutions in Sokoto metropolis
and their mental health. Based on the findings, recommendations were made
including the need for students to be taught effectively the coping strategies and
techniques that could help them handle or reduce depression related issues. Such
strategies and techniques include reflexology, massage, exercise, deep breathing,
take a vacation in your mind etc
