Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

The mental health benefit of social media: The use of social media skits for depression treatment among women in Nigeria

Chika Kate Obiechina — 2023-02-22

Background: Social media skits have become a regular feature on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Despite this, limited studies from developing countries like Nigeria have examined its mental health benefits.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the use of social media skits for depression treatment among women in Nigeria.
Methods: The study was a descriptive survey of 330 women who were social media users. The questionnaire served as the instrument for data collection.
Results: The researcher found that overall, women use social media for depression treatment. However, this is determined by the age of the women. Younger women use it most, followed by middle-aged women. Older women above 40 years do not use social media skits for depression treatment. The current study has also shown that self-care consciousness significantly moderates the relationship between social media skits and depression treatment among women. Contribution: This study has shown that women who possess high awareness regarding self-care are more likely to make deliberate efforts to address their depressive mood than those who do not.

Conclusion: Social media skits are important mental health tools for treating depression among women.
Key recommendation: Interventions should be designed and implemented to promote self-care awareness among women.

The press and citizenship education: Media reportage of political endorsements and electorate behaviour in Nigeria’s 2019 presidential election

Celestina Ongwayozi Audu — 2023-02-22

Background: Political endorsement remains one of the global strategies that features visibly during electioneering campaigns. Such endorsements are usually communicated to the electorate through the media.

Objective: The aim of this study was to ascertain the impact of media reports on endorsement of political candidates during the 2019 election on voter behaviour.

Methodology: This study adopted a combination of content analysis and correlational survey to examine media reportage of political endorsements and the correlation between exposure to such political endorsements and voting behaviour.

Results: It was found that significant relationship exists between source of political endorsement and prominence the media accord to such endorsements. As predicted, political endorsement from socio-cultural and religious groups significantly correlates voting behaviour but political endorsements from celebrities did not correlate voting behaviour.

Contribution: The study has offered fresh perspectives that could aid future debates on issues related to citizenship education during political seasons.

Conclusion: The study concludes that group identity plays an important role in determining the effectiveness of media endorsement of political candidates.

Key recommendation: Other scholars should pay attention to issues like candidates’ perceived credibility, party identification and voter berhaviour.

Keywords: campaign, political endorsements, media report, voting behaviour

Childlessness and its coping strategies among couples in Lafia Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Aondofa Peter Kwaghtser — 2023-02-22

Background: Childlessness can steal joy in the family as it poses an overwhelming effect on the mental state of couples. Couples’ ability to cope with childlessness-related stress to a greater measure relies on which sort of coping strategies more commonly in use by childless couples. Related literature has emphasised the effects of childlessness on childless couples. However, there is no enough empirical study to investigate the effects of childlessness and its coping strategies among couples.

Objective: This study sought to examine the effects of childlessness and its coping strategies among couples.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design and purposive sampling method. A structured questionnaire (which served as the instrument for the study) was developed by the researcher. A total of 120 couples facing difficulties in having children responded to the instrument that provided data for the study. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages and mean scores were used to answer the research questions.

Result: The findings revealed that the use of self-controlling strategy such as trying trying to control emotions, Positive reappraisal coping strategies such as channelling couples effort to do something creative, seeking social support such as reading/listening or watching programs on television on infertility and emotional support coping strategies were important to help couples to cope with their situation.

Unique contribution: This study has provided additional empirical data to support the position that childlessness can be managed effectively through the coping strategies.

Conclusion: The types of coping mechanisms childless couples utilize more frequently has a significant impact on their ability to adapt to the stress caused by childlessness.

Key recommendation: Couples who are childless must be tolerated, couples should always communicate to themselves, couples with childlessness issue should be given support by their family members and friends and should be encouraged to go for counselling.

The Contributing role of the media in educating farmers in riverine areas on the choice of suitable crops and the use of technologies for farming in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Jammy Seigha Guanah — 2023-02-22

Background: Farmers in riverine areas face the dual challenge of determining the most suitable crop to cultivate and the appropriate technologies to use. The media could be helpful in assisting farmers to address these challenges.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the contributing role of the media in educating farmers in riverine areas on the choice of suitable crops and the use of technologies for farming in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Methodology: The descriptive survey research design was used to conduct the study. Data were collected through the questionnaire and presented in frequency tables and percentages.

Results: The study found that newspapers, interpersonal communication, radio, town criers, and social media were the major sources of information on the most suitable crops for farmers in Bayelsa state. rRadio was found to be the commonest source of information on new farming technologies among farmers in Bayelsa State. Likewise, the study revealed that the challenges Bayelsa State farmers encounter in accessing farming information include electricity supply, extension officers` roles, illiteracy, broadcast time, costs of information gadgets, and ambiguous media contents.

Conclusion: The media have a big role to play in creating awareness about up-to-the-date farming technologies through their reportage. This can attract more people to farming, and invariably increase food production and income among farmers.

Unique contribution: This study has offered information on the role that the media play in guiding farmers in their agricultural activities with particular referenmce to farmers in riverine areas. This information could guide policy and influence the future debate in the literature.

Key Recommendations: It was recommended that the Bayelsa State government should deploy various media in disseminating agricultural information, and in creating awareness about the existence of modern technologies for the production of the most suitable crops for farmers in the state.