Examining the Effect of Perceived Social Support on Student Mental Health in Somaliland
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/16.1/832Keywords:
perceived social support, depression, anxiety, stress, Somililand, UniversitiesAbstract
The aim of this study, conducted in Somaliland, was to explore the relationship between perceived social support and students' mental health, specifically focusing on stress, anxiety, and depression. This research has been conducted in a correlation quantitative design. In the context of the challenges and opportunities university students face, this research sheds light on the vital role of psychological well-being. In Somaliland, where official health statistics are scarce and mental health is often overlooked, this investigation addresses an important gap in understanding. This study, conducted in Hargeisa, delved into the impact of perceived social support on students' mental health. Employing a correlational quantitative design, data was collected from 366 students in both public and private universities using Google Forms. The findings unveiled a robust, albeit inverse, relationship between perceived social support and stress, anxiety, and depression levels among students. One crucial recommendation stemming from this research is the inclusion of mental health education and awareness activities in the curricula of all educational levels. These findings underscore the pressing need to prioritize mental well-being in educational institutions, setting a foundation for students to thrive academically and socially. In a world where academic pressures and social dynamics continue to evolve, nurturing the mental health of university students is an investment in their future success and overall well-being.
References
Abdillahi, F. A., Ismail, E. A., & Singh, S. P. (2019). Mental health in Somaliland: a critical
situation. BJPsych International, 17(1), 11–14. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2019.14
Brown, P. (2016). The invisible problem? Improving students' mental health. Higher
Education Policy Institute.
Brown, J. S. (2018). Student mental health: Some answers and more questions. Journal of
Mental Health, 27(3), 193-196. https://doi: 10.1080/09638237.2018.1470319
Hersi, L. A., Tesfay, K., Gesesew, H. A., Krahl, W., Ereg, D., & Tesfaye, M. (2017). Mental
distress and associated factors among undergraduate students at the University of Hargeisa, Somaliland: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 11(1), 2-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-017-0146-2
Khatiwada, J., Muzembo, B. A., Wada, K., & Ikeda, S. (2021). The effect of perceived social
support on psychological distress and life satisfaction among Nepalese migrants in Japan. PLOS ONE, 16(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246271
Moya, E., Larson, L. M., Stewart, R. C., Fisher, J., Mwangi, M. N., & Phiri, K. S. (2022).
Reliability and validity of depression anxiety stress scale (DASS)-21 in screening for common mental disorders among postpartum women in Malawi. BMC Psychiatry, 22(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03994-0
McLean, L., Gaul, D., & Penco, R. (2022). Perceived social support and stress: A study of 1st
year students in Ireland. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 21(4), 2101–2121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00710-z
Pedrelli, P., Nyer, M., Yeung, A., Zulauf, C., & Wilens, T. E. (2014). College students: Mental
health problems and treatment considerations. Academic Psychiatry, 39(5), 503–511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0205-9
Roohafza, H. R., Afshar, H., Keshteli, A. H., Mohammadi, N., Feizi, A., Taslimi, M., & Adibi,
P. (2014). What’s the role of perceived social support and coping styles in depression and anxiety? DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), 19(10), 944–949. https://doaj.org/article/25c8c8601d3c46e588aea3c7ac48e77d
Sheriff, R. S., Baraco, A., Nour, A., Warsame, A. M., Peachey, K., Haibe, F., & Jenkins, R.
(2010). Public-Academic partnerships: Improving human resource provision for mental health in Somaliland. Psychiatric Services, 61(3), 225–227. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.2010.61.3.225
Singhal, S., & Prakash, N. (2021). Relationship between self-esteem and psychological well
being among Indian college students. Journal of Interdisciplinary Cycle Research, 12, 748-756.
Torres, F. (2020). What is depression? American Psychiatric Association.
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression
UCAS Analysis Research. (2014). UCAS. Retrieved May 6, 2023,
Ursachi, G., Horodnic, I. A., & Zaiț, A. (2015). How reliable are measurement scales?
External factors with indirect influence on reliability estimators. Procedia Economics and Finance, 20, 679–686. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671(15)00123-9
Williams, T. (2021). Why is quantitative research important? Grand Canyon University.
https://www.gcu.edu/blog/doctoral-journey/why-quantitative-research-important
World Health Organization. (2023). Stress. Retrieved August 14,
Zimet, G. D., Powell, S., Farley, G. K., Werkman, S. L., & Berkoff, K. (1990). Psychometric
characteristics of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55(3–4), 610 – 617. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.1990.9674095
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 The Authors & LUMEN Publishing House

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant this journalright of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work, with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as an earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala Journal has an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND