Otu MS, Sefotho MM. Examination of emotional distress, depression, and anxiety in neurodiverse students: A cross-sectional study. World J Psychiatry 2024; 14(11): 1681-1695 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i11.1681]
Corresponding Author of This Article
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
Research Domain of This Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Article-Type of This Article
Observational Study
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (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: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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.
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
Core Tip
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.
