Nigerian Journal of Social Psychology

Understanding Leadership Dysfunction in Sub-Saharan Africa

Akeem A Kenku, Safiya L Salihu, Duru I Nnamdi — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This review examines leadership dysfunction through the lens of organizational and social psychology, integrating insights from transformational leadership theory, social identity theory, institutional theory, and moral psychology. Using a narrative review approach, the study synthesizes empirical and theoretical literature published between 2000 and 2025. The findings reveal that leadership dysfunction is a multidimensional phenomenon driven by individual traits such as narcissism and moral disengagement, socio-cultural dynamics such as ethnicity and power distance, and institutional weaknesses including lack of accountability and transparency. The study further highlights psychological mechanisms such as cognitive biases, groupthink, and social dominance that reinforce dysfunctional leadership practices. The consequences include reduced economic development, low organizational performance, erosion of public trust, and increased insecurity. The study concludes by proposing a multi-level intervention framework that integrates leadership development, institutional reforms, and behavioral change strategies. The paper contributes to the growing literature by offering a psychologically grounded explanation of leadership failures in Sub-Saharan Africa and providing actionable recommendations for policy and practice.

UNDERSTANDING MISCONCEPTIONS, CHALLENGES ON MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER AMONG STUDENT NURSES IN NAUTH

Afam Ndu, Ijeoma Judith Ilo — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:11:42 +0000

This study assessed the knowledge, misconceptions, and attitudes toward the management and treatment of ASPD among student nurses at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH). A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to 67 student nurses. Findings revealed that respondents demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge of ASPD, with a majority recognizing that the disorder involves disregard for others (71.7%) and is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors (64.2%). However, gaps existed in detailed clinical knowledge, particularly regarding symptoms and diagnosis. Misconceptions were prevalent, as many respondents believed that ASPD is synonymous with psychopathy (59.7%) and that individuals with the disorder lack all forms of emotion (56.7%). The study highlights the need for Improved psychiatric education, targeted training, and enhanced clinical exposure to address misconceptions and strengthen the competence of student nurses. It also emphasizes the importance of reducing stigma and providing adequate institutional support to improve the management of ASPD in clinical settings.

Teacher-Student Relationship and Social Comparison as Predictors of Academic Motivation among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan North-East

Aderonke Adebola Akintola — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:11:57 +0000

This study examined the interactive influence of Teacher-Student Relationship and Social Comparison on Academic Motivation among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan North-East. A cross-sectional research design was employed with a multistage sampling technique. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the local government area because of its diverse population of in-school adolescents. A simple random sampling technique by balloting was adopted to select six co-educational secondary schools across the public and private strata, and a convenience sampling technique was utilized to select 383 respondents, 181 males (47.3%) and 202 females (52.7%). Participants responded to self-measures of the Inventory of Teacher-Student Relationships (ITSR), Social Comparison Scale-Revised (ASCS-R), and Academic Motivation Scale-High School Version (AMS-HS 28). Four hypotheses were generated and tested using hierarchical multiple regression. Results revealed teacher-student relationship (β= .32, t= 6.53, p < .01) and social comparison (β= .35, t= 7.37, p < .01) significantly predicted academic motivation. Student academic level (β= -11.62, t= -6.40, p < .01) was also a significant statistical predictor, with the variables F(5, 377) = 23.05, p < .001 jointly explaining 22% of the total variance in academic motivation. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the social relations of students should be one of the top priorities of school administrators.

SILENT STRUGGLES, SHARED VOICES

Cecilia Chinwendu Nduaguba, Mojisola S Ajayi — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:12:12 +0000

Children experience more and talk less, yet the effects of social learning and adverse events in their lives impact psychological distress and their mental well-being far into adulthood. The purpose of this study was to hear the voices of children living in an orphanage setting and to understand the psychological distress emanating from their lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 children living in an orphanage to explore their experiences and perception of trauma, depression, somatization, and prosocial behaviour within and outside the institution, and how these have shaped them in relation to self and others. A phenomenological methodology was used to reveal the lived experiences of these children. Results: The emerged themes showed trauma as fear and pain, aggression as defensive coping, somatization as embodied stress, discipline as care and control, ambivalence in prosocial behaviour, safety within discipline and pre-institution trauma unarticulated. Recommendations suggest a reduction in punitive discipline, psycho-education on emotion regulation and non-aggressive coping and routine care training for caregivers.

PSYCHOLOGY OF MORAL EDUCATION

G O Madubuike, Tobias Chineze Enike, Offing Udeme — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:12:48 +0000

Psychology of moral education, which part of Christian seeks to develop students and citizens spiritually, morally, and intellectually in the light of biblical truth. The psychology of Christian education serves as a bridge between the spiritual mission of education and the human mechanisms through which learning occurs. It is rooted in the understanding that humans are created in the image of God (imago Dei) and are called to grow not only in knowledge but in Christ like character. While secular psychology offers tools for understanding development and learning processes, Christian education reframes these within the context of Scripture, relying on divine truth as the panacea for electoral malpractices in developing countries like Nigeria. This paper therefore explores the psychological theories, principles and techniques as well as well articulated civic education that will help in controlling various and varieties of electoral malpractices in Nigeria. This is only possible through psychology of moral education that are inculcate value orientation o the citizenry in all levels of education in education

Legacies of Master Musicians, Tradition Bearers and Custodians of Culture

Dora Ifeanyi Okunbor — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:08:04 +0000

This is maintained in Nigeria by the living archives of master musicians, tradition bearers, cultural custodians who carry out their own repertoire, technique, memories, instruments, ritual, and pedagogies as their living archive of community. This is a positional paper, which proposes that the conservation of heritage in Nigeria should be expanded to include the identification and support of individuals who embody, interpret, teach and continue indigenous music. The article draws upon recent literature in the field of Nigerian traditional music, African indigenous knowledge systems, de-colonial music education, oral transmission, intangible cultural heritage, and digital preservation, as well as cultural tourism, to consider the role of master artists as cultural educators, historical sources, performers, innovators, and the custodians of memory. It also examines the challenges to cultural continuity such as older custodians, urbanization, religious shifts, westernized education, commercial dilution, poor documentation, and poor cultural policies. The author recommends a Living Heritage Transmission Framework for Indigenous Musical Knowledge in Nigeria, a model that is based on ethical relationships between knowledge bearers, communities and educational institutions; cultural agencies and digital platforms, current and younger generations.

From Policing to Pedagogy

John Oji, Caroline Ochuko Alordiah — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:08:22 +0000

The explosion of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its effect on homework and assessment is fundamentally changing the role and integrity of homework and assessments in education today. Traditional approaches that are based on prohibition and detection have been proven to be insufficient and often fail to consider the underlying pedagogical conditions that allow for misuse. This is an article that proposes a teacher-centered conceptual framework (the TEACH model) that reframes the problem of academic integrity as a problem in instructional design and not compliance. Grounded in social constructivism, self-determination theory, and formative assessment, the model incorporates five interconnected domains of task redesign, explicit AI literacy, assessment shift, classroom culture, and human-centered pedagogy. The article draws on recent literature about AI in education and goes further, also by making teachers a key agent in the design of learning ecosystems that foster genuine engagement. Particular attention is paid towards implementation in a resource constrained context. The article offers a theoretically grounded model, a practitioner-oriented guide and a policy brief making recommendations on the enabling conditions for a systemic adoption.

Drug Demand Reduction through Collaborative Intervention in Delta State Universities

James Ochuko URIEN — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:08:39 +0000

The study focused on drug demand reduction through collaborative intervention in Delta State universities. Two research questions were raised and two null hypotheses were formulated in the study. A mixed-methods design was adopted in the study. It combines qualitative and quantitative research approaches to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem. The population comprises 126,350 undergraduate students from universities in Delta State. A multistage and snowball sampling technique was used in this survey. The first stage involves selecting three universities (Delta State University, Abraka, Southern Delta University, Orerokpe campus and University of Delta, Agbor) from the study area. The second stage involves selecting two departments, each from the selected faculties, so that each faculty will be represented. The next stage involves selecting 100, 200, 300 and 400 Level students from each selected department (Psychology & Political Science, Delta State University, Abraka; Electrical Electronics & Civil Engineering, Southern Delta University, Orerokpe campus; English Education & Religious Studies Education, University of Delta, Agbor). Due to the sensitive nature of the study, we used a snowball sampling technique to select a sample of 450 participants. The instrument used for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire titled “Drug Demand Reduction through Collaborative Intervention Questionnaire (DDRCIQ) with psychometric value of validity and reliability. The instruments were duly validated, and reliability was tested using Cronbach's Alpha, which yielded a coefficient of 0.74 and above (coefficient of determination; a benchmark of 2.50 and above is considered agreed, and 2.49 and below is considered disagreed). The process used to generate the questionnaire items is called Scale Development. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Statistic was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance, while Thematic analysis was used to interpret responses. In conclusion, collaborative approaches to drug demand reduction in Nigerian universities are crucial for addressing the growing substance abuse problem.

Suicidal Ideation

D I EGWUONWU, O S UMUKORO, S I BABATUNDE, A T TAMUNO-OPUBO, M U IJOWHA — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:09:05 +0000

Suicide is a significant community health concern and an intricate psychological phenomenon that is frequently evaluated using variables like suicidal ideation since completed suicide cannot be experimentally investigated. Researchers often conduct research on suicidal ideation and behaviour as a quantifiable predictor of suicide risk consequent upon the aforementioned submission. Suicidal behaviour has received growing attention in recent years, especially among undergraduate populations where, exposure to social and psychological stressors are prevalent. This research investigated the predictive roles of self-esteem and cyberbullying on suicidal ideation among undergraduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Structured questionnaires were administered to 398 students selected using stratified random sampling techniques, of which 389 valid responses were analysed. Standardized instruments including the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Cyberbullying and Online Aggression Survey (victimization section), and the Suicidal Ideation Scale were used to measure the study variables. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The regression model was statistically significant [F (2,386) = 138.73, P<.001], indicating that self-esteem and cyberbullying jointly predicted suicidal ideation. The model explained 41.2% of the variance in suicidal ideation. Cyberbullying emerged as a significant independent predictor (β = .65, P<.001), whereas self-esteem was not a significant predictor. Cyberbullying showed a strong positive predictive effect on suicidal ideation. Cyberbullying appears to be an important risk factor associated with suicidal ideation among undergraduates. Strengthening anti-cyberbullying policies and promoting mental health support services within universities may help reduce suicidal ideation among students. This study contributes to growing evidence on digital mental health risk factors among university students in developing countries.

Remote Working as a Predictor of Anxiety Levels and Work–Life Balance among Virtual Workers in Lagos Mainland, Nigeria

Folusho U AYODEJI — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:09:22 +0000

The study investigated the role of working remotely on anxiety levels and work-life balance among tech workers in Lagos, Nigeria. It compared anxiety levels and work-life balance between virtual and office-based tech workers and examined gender differences in these outcomes. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 256 tech workers, with 123 virtual and 133 office-based workers participating. The Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale and the Hayman Work-Life Balance Scale were administered to assess anxiety and work-life balance, respectively. The study employed purposive and convenience sampling methods to ensure a representative sample. The findings revealed no significant differences in anxiety levels between virtual and office-based tech workers (t(256) = -.552; p > .05). Similarly, work-life balance did not differ significantly between the two groups (t(256) = -1.704; p > .05). However, female tech workers reported significantly higher anxiety levels and better work-life balance than their male counterparts (t(256) = 0.18; p < .05). These results suggest that virtual work does not inherently increase anxiety or negatively impact work-life balance. Furthermore, the gender-specific findings indicate a need for tailored interventions to support female tech workers in managing anxiety. The implications of these findings are discussed, providing insights for the tech industry on the viability of virtual work and the importance of addressing gender-specific mental health needs.

The Role of Body Image Satisfaction and Self-Awareness on Social Functioning of Female Adolescents

Gbenusola Abike Akinwale, Michael John Donatus — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:09:36 +0000

This study examined the role of body image satisfaction and self-awareness in shaping the social functioning of female adolescents in Nigeria. The objectives were to investigate the influence of body image satisfaction on social functioning, assess the effect of self-awareness on social functioning, determine their combined influence, and analyze differences in social functioning based on the frequency of social media use. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, involving 300 female adolescents aged 13–18 years from SS1–SS3 classes in public and private senior secondary schools in Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling and completed a structured questionnaire comprising validated scales for body image satisfaction, self-awareness, and social functioning, alongside items on demographic details and social media use frequency. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, and one-way ANOVA at a 95% confidence level. Findings revealed that body image satisfaction significantly influenced social functioning (R = 0.934, R² = 0.872, p < .001), indicating that adolescents with higher body image satisfaction demonstrated better social adjustment. Similarly, self-awareness had a strong positive influence on social functioning (R = 0.959, R² = 0.920, p < .001). The combined effect of body image satisfaction and self-awareness explained 93.4% of the variance in social functioning (R² = 0.934, p < .001), demonstrating a strong synergistic impact. Additionally, there was a significant difference in social functioning based on the frequency of social media use (F (4,295) = 3953.83, p < .001), with those who used social media “very often” recording the lowest social functioning scores. The study concludes that body image satisfaction and self-awareness are critical determinants of social functioning, with their joint influence producing the highest levels of social competence.

Mental Health Messaging in Public Health Campaigns on Young Adults’ Psychological Wellbeing and Help Seeking Behaviour

Genevieve Chimaoge Ebulum — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:09:56 +0000

Mental health disorders constitute a major public health challenge among young adults, yet help-seeking remains suboptimal due to stigma, poor mental health literacy, and limited awareness of available support services. This study investigated the effect of mental health messaging in public health campaigns on young adults’ psychological well-being and help-seeking behaviour, while examining the moderating role of gender. A mixed-methods pretest-posttest design was employed among 120 young adults who were recruited and completed the pretest assessment. Of these, 114 participants completed the posttest assessment, representing a retention rate of 95% and an attrition rate of 5%. Quantitative data were collected using the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ), while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Exposure to mental health messaging increased substantially following the intervention. Significant improvements were observed in psychological well-being and help-seeking intention from pretest to posttest. Exposure to mental health messaging was positively associated with psychological well-being (ρ = .440, p < .001) and help-seeking intention (ρ = .703, p < .001). Regression analyses revealed that exposure significantly predicted psychological well-being (B = 0.244, p < .001) and help-seeking intention (B = 0.856, p < .001). Furthermore, gender significantly moderated the relationship between exposure and psychological well-being (B = 0.280, p < .001), indicating stronger intervention effects among female participants. Qualitative findings demonstrated that mental health messaging enhanced awareness, reduced perceived stigma, fostered emotional validation, and increased willingness to seek professional support. The findings provide robust evidence that strategically designed mental health communication campaigns can improve psychological well-being and strengthen help-seeking intentions among young adults. Integrating gender-responsive messaging into public health interventions may enhance campaign effectiveness and contribute to improved mental health outcomes in this vulnerable population.