Benue State University, Makurdi

ASSESSING HOPELESSNESS AND HELPLESSNESS AS PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION AMONG TEACHERS IN GOVERNMENT OWNED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN JOS METROPOLIS

Isaac Peter Chingle, Amabu Enoch Bako

Abstract

This study assessed hopelessness and helplessness as predictors of depression among teachers in government owned primary schools in Jos metropolis.A cross sectional research design was employed for the study and stratified sampling technique was used to select two hundred and fifty (250) respondents which comprised of 150 public primary school teachers and 100 private primary school teachers. Three instruments were used for data collection. There included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness scale (BHS) and Learned Helplessness Scale (LHS). The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and independent t-test to test the hypotheses. Results revealed that hopelessness independently and significantly predicted depression in a positive direction among primary school teachers (B.270, t-4.559, p<.01). Helplessness also significantly and independently predicted depression among the primary school teachers within Jos metropolis in a positive direction (B=.328, t-5.537, p < 01). Further results revealed that hopelessness and helplessness also jointly predicted depression significantly R=.495, R=245, F (2,247) =40.168, p < 01]. There was however no significant difference in symptoms of depression t(248)=.456, p>.05, between pubic primary school teachers (N=150, t-72.41, Std=9.58) and private primary school teachers (N=100, t-72.97, Std=9.28) within Jos environ. Based on these findings, it was recommended that future research may attempt to control for confounding variables, including co- morbid medical, psychological and cognitive concerns and future studies might use a larger sample size and incorporate a wide area of the state and not just the metropolis so as to make this study more generalized to the general population of teachers at the primary school level.

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