THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOURS AND DEPRESSION AMONG DIVERSE ETHNIC ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF A CONSTITUENT COLLEGE OF UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI.

Abstract

Psychoactive substances abuse and depression are serious problems among adolescents and young adult undergraduate students. The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship between anti-social behaviours and depression among diverse ethnic adolescents and young adult undergraduate students, at one of the constituent Colleges of the University of Malawi. The study was guided by Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour. Mixed research methodologies were used in which both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were employed in data generation and analysis. SPSSv20, Excel and phenomenological approach were used in data analysis. The study involved 147 participants and the findings revealed that (55%) of students had depression and (34%) of students used psychoactive substances. The most abused psychoactive substances were coffee, cannabis and alcohol. There was no direct correlation between depression and use of psychoactive substances as (24%) of participants who were using psychoactive substances had depression, and (10%) of participants were using psychoactive substances but had no depression. The ethnic majority students (53.6%) experience more depression than ethnic minority students (46.34%). The study concludes that there is high prevalence of depression and low use of psychoactive substances among adolescent and young adult undergraduate students at the constituent college of the University of Malawi. However, there is no direct relationship between students' ethnicity, use of psychoactive substances and depression. Hence, undergraduate students suffer from depression and use psychoactive substances like any other person and have to be helped accordingly, through counselling and psychotherapy.