PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF PARENTALLY BEREAVED UNDERGRADUATES IN UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, NIGERIA

Abstract

The loss of a parent is one of the most traumatic events an adolescent and emerging adult can face. This study examined the psychological problems of parentally bereaved undergraduates at the University of Ilorin. The research design adopted for this study is a descriptive survey. The population of the study consisted of all Undergraduates at the University of Ilorin while a sample of 200 respondents was selected through the purposive and snowball sampling procedures. Aself-designed questionnaire titled "Psychological Problems of Parentally Bereaved Undergraduates Questionnaire" (PPPBUQ)" was used to gather data. The demographic data generated were analysed using percentages. The main research questions were analysed using mean and rank order analysis while t-test and Analysis of Variance statistical tools were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 alpha level of significance. The finding revealed that the psychological problems of parentally bereaved undergraduates at the University of Ilorin include the inability to trust and confide in people, loneliness, depression and upset, whenever they lack something important such as the inability to pay school fees among others. There was no significant difference in the psychological problems of parentally bereaved undergraduates of the University of Ilorin in Nigeria based on gender, age at bereavement and nature of bereavement, but a significant difference was found based on length of years of loss. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that school counsellors should introduce work and pay programmes to bereaved undergraduates by collaborating with different organisations to solve their financial problems, identify adolescents who have lost their parents(s) and are struggling with academic achievements, and assist them to adjust to the loss. Agrief counselling support programme should be initiated by the University Counselling Centre to provide emotional support to students who have lost their parents