Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. Nov 19, 2024; 14(11): 1681-1695
Published online Nov 19, 2024. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i11.1681
Examination of emotional distress, depression, and anxiety in neurodiverse students: A cross-sectional study
Mkpoikanke Sunday Otu, Maximus Monaheng Sefotho
Mkpoikanke Sunday Otu, Maximus Monaheng Sefotho, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, Gauteng, South Africa
Author contributions: The authors played a pivotal role in this research endeavor; Otu MS was responsible for conceptualizing and designing the study, as well as collecting and analyzing the data, and drafting the preliminary manuscript; Sefotho MM offered essential guidance regarding the study's methodology, oversaw the research process, and conducted a thorough review and revision of the manuscript; Both authors consented to the final version of the manuscript prior to its submission.
Institutional review board statement: The study was conducted following the Declaration of Helsinki and applicable laws and regulations. Researchers minimized risk, ensured informed consent, and respected participants' autonomy and privacy. The Institutional Review Board approved the study. The ethical registration is REC/UNN/FE/GC/2023/000050.
Informed consent statement: Before participating in the study, all participants from 18 years old signed an informed consent form and those below 18 years got their parents or legal guardians to sign the form. The informed consent form detailed the purpose, procedures, and potential risks and benefits of the study.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: Data is available on reasonable request at mkpoikanke.otu@unn.edu.ng.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mkpoikanke Sunday Otu, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Johannesburg, Crn Kingsway Avenue & University Road, Aukland Park, Johannesburg 2006, Gauteng, South Africa. motu@uj.ac.za
Received: May 24, 2024
Revised: September 6, 2024
Accepted: October 10, 2024
Published online: November 19, 2024
Processing time: 166 Days and 21.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Neurodiverse students frequently encounter distinct challenges that can adversely affect their mental well-being. This research aimed to investigate emotional distress, depression, and anxiety among neurodiverse students, examine the interrelationships among these factors, and assess the impact of participant characteristics.

AIM

To address the problem of lack of data pointed out in the neurodiversity research in Nigeria, this study aims to examine the emotional distress, depression, and anxiety in neurodiverse students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 200 neurodiverse students in Nigeria. Participants filled out self-report questionnaires that measured emotional distress (Brief Emotional Distress Scale for Youth), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised), and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, Bayesian Mann-Whitney U tests, two-way ANOVAs, and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

RESULTS

Anxiety was found to have the highest prevalence (mean = 68.8), followed by depression (mean = 34.2) and emotional distress (mean = 26.3). Significant positive correlations were identified among all three mental health factors, with the strongest correlation observed between depression and anxiety (rho = 0.492, P < 0.001). Moderate evidence indicated gender differences in emotional distress (BF10 = 2.448). The interaction between educational environment and diagnosis had a significant effect on emotional distress (F = 3.106, P = 0.017). Kruskal-Wallis tests indicated significant variations in anxiety levels across different educational settings (P = 0.002), although post-hoc comparisons did not reveal significant differences among specific settings.

CONCLUSION

This research emphasizes the prevalence of mental health challenges among neurodiverse students, particularly concerning anxiety. The intricate relationships among emotional distress, depression, and anxiety highlight the necessity for thorough mental health support. The impact of educational settings and diagnoses on mental health outcomes stresses the importance of customized interventions. These findings are significant for educators, mental health professionals, and policymakers in formulating targeted support strategies for neurodiverse students.

Keywords: Neurodiverse students; Emotional distress; Depression; Anxiety; Nigeria; Africa; Mental health

Core Tip: This cross-sectional study involving 200 neurodiverse students in Nigeria indicates a notable prevalence of anxiety, followed by depression and emotional distress. The study identified significant positive correlations among these mental health issues, with the most pronounced relationship observed between depression and anxiety. Gender disparities were noted in emotional distress, and the interplay between educational environment and diagnosis had a significant impact on levels of emotional distress. Variations in anxiety levels were also evident across different educational settings. These results emphasize the intricate mental health requirements of neurodiverse students and highlight the necessity for customized interventions that take into account individual diagnoses, educational setting, and gender. The findings offer essential insights for educators, mental health professionals, and policymakers in formulating targeted support strategies for this demographic.