CHAPTER ONE: Introduction                                                                                              1

1.1       Background of the Study                                                                                           1

1.2       Statement of the Problem                                                                                           3

1.3       Research Questions                                                                                                     4

1.4       Objectives of the Study                                                                                              4

1.5       Significance of the Study                                                                                           4

1.6       Scope of the Study                                                                                                     5

1.7       Conceptual Clarification                                                                                             5

CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review and Theoretical Orientation                                        7

2.1       Review of Relevant Literature                                                                                   7

2.1.1    Meaning of Depression                                                                                               7

2.1.2    Causes of Depression                                                                                                  9

2.1.3    Symptoms of Depression                                                                                            13

2.1.4    Concept of Anxiety                                                                                                    13

2.1.5    Causes of Anxiety                                                                                                      18

2.1.6    Depression and Students Academic Performance                                                      20

2.1.7    Anxiety and Students Academic Performance                                                          21

2.1.8    Students Knowledge and Awareness of Depression and Anxiety                            23

2.2       Gap Discovered                                                                                                          25

2.3       Theoretical Framework                                                                                               26

CHAPTER THREE: Methodology                                                                                        28

3.1       Research Design                                                                                                         28

3.2       Study Area                                                                                                                  28

3.3       Study Population                                                                                                        28

3.4       Sample Size Determination Procedure                                                                       29

3.5       Research Instrument(s)                                                                                               29

3.6       Validity and Reliability of Research Instrument                                                        29

3.7       Method of Data Analysis                                                                                           30

CHAPTER FOUR: Data Presentation and Interpretation                                                     31

4.1       Demographic Distribution of Respondents                                                                31 

4.2       Analysis of Questionnaire                                                                                          36

4.3       Analysis of Research Questions                                                                                 54

4.4       Discussion of Findings                                                                                               57

CHAPTER FIVE: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations                                        59

5.1       Summary                                                                                                                     59

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                                                  60

5.3       Recommendations                                                                                                      60

References                                                                                                                              61

Appendix: Questionnaire                                                                                                        67

Depression and anxiety are the most common types of mental disorders, and comorbidity is also very common with these two disorders. Many individuals with anxiety also have depression and vice versa. Anxiety and depression have been found to be more prevalent among undergraduate students than the general population (Holliday, Anderson, Williams, Bird, Matloc, Ali, & Suris, 2016). University students’ deal with a unique amount of stressors, some may have the challenges of new lifestyle, friends, roommates, exposure to new cultures and alternate ways of thinking. Also, students have to tackle lot of problems as well, they have time shortage for preparing exams because of overloaded syllabus, anxiety about getting expected marks in their examinations etc. When students cannot manage these, they are more likely to struggle. If students do not feel adequate or prepared to cope with the new environment of the university, they could easily become susceptible to depression and anxiety which is now the third leading cause of death among adolescent and college students (Garland & Zigler, 1993). For example, In America about 30 % of students are depressed (America College Health Association, 2011). This study therefore investigate depression and anxiety among undergraduate student in Olabisi Onabanjo University.

The study focused on sociological study on depression and anxiety among undergraduate student in Olabisi Onabanjo University. Further the study also strived to examine the effect of depression and anxiety on academic performance of undergraduate students; examine perceived level of awareness of undergraduate’s students toward depression and anxiety; identify factors responsible for depression and anxiety among undergraduate students and; ascertain the knowledge of undergraduate students to identify the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety. It was anchored on Hebb’s Theory of Arousal and Beck’s Cognitive Behavioural Theory of Depression. Hebb’s Theory of Arousal was used to explained the relationship between Anxiety and Academic performance while the Beck’s Cognitive Behavioural Theory of Depression explain the relationship between depression and academic performance. A total of two hundred and twenty students from Faculty of Social Science in Olabisi Onabanjo University were selected for the study. Data generated through questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics of frequency percentage, mean, standard deviation and one sample test on Statistical Package for Social Science.

The findings of this study revealed that 91.4% disagree that pressure from school affect their academic performance. However, majority of the respondents (91.8) agreed that they are always worried regarding the academic grade. Using one sample test to analyse the overall response of the respondents, it was revealed that depression and anxiety does not affect academic performance of students. On the perceived level of awareness of undergraduate’s students towards depression, it was revealed that undergraduate students are aware of depression and anxiety. 85.5% have heard about depression. 90% of the respondents consider depression as health problem. They also know that depression is not caused by witchcraft, charm or evil. 91.4% noted that patients with depression can breakdown anytime. Regarding the factors responsible for depression and anxiety among undergraduate students. The students agreed that loss of interest and concentration in academic is among the factors responsible for depression and anxiety. Moreso, tensed to study, stress due to illness, genetic, death or loss of oved ones and life vent are among the factors responsible for depression and anxiety. From the table, it can be seen that the mean score of all the items are above 1.0 which is the bench mark. Therefore, the respondents understand the factors responsible for depression and anxiety. It was shown that the respondents have knowledge of identifying the symptoms of depression and anxiety. 90.5% agreed that biochemical abnormality is a sign and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Likewise, 92.3% agreed that feeling sad is a sign and symptom of depression and anxiety. Also, it was revealed that 98.2% accepted that feeling helpless or guilty is a sign and symptoms of depression.

Finally, this study concluded that undergraduate students were aware and knowledgeable of the symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, depression and anxiety does not affect undergraduate students academic performance. Among other recommendations is that counselling service should continue to be made to undergraduate students in order to continue to increase the awareness of symptoms of depression and anxiety.