Influence of Traumatic Experience and Health Locus of Control on the Psychological Well-being of Adolescent Living in Orphanages in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abstract

For some decades psychological well-being had been central to many health investigations, while fewer studies have been conducted among orphans in Nigeria in this respect. This study examined the influence of traumatic experience and locus of control on psychological wellbeing of adolescents living in orphanages in Ibadan metropolis. A cross-sectional research design was adopted to achieve the set objectives of the study. Three hypotheses were tested in the study. Results showed that traumatic experience had a significant negative relationship with psychological
well-being {R=-204; P<.01}. This implies that increase in the level of traumatic experience will lead to decrease in the level of psychological well-being among orphans in foster homes. Also, sex, age and religion had significant joint influence on psychological wellbeing {R=0.206; R²=0.042, F(3,277)=4.097, P<0.05}. The independent influence result indicates that only religion had significant contribution
to psychological well-being among orphans at {β=-.203; t=-3.374;P<.05}. Participants who reported internal health locus of control significantly scored higher on psychological well-being than those participants who reported external locus of control {t(279)=-5.784; P<.05}. Traumatic experience and health locus of control are significant predictors of psychological well-being among orphans in the
orphanages in Ibadan metropolis. The more religious an orphan is the higher their psychological well-being. Psychotherapeutic intervention programmes geared towards traumatic effect reduction should be organized periodically for orphans in homes so as to minimize their vulnerability and also promote healthy lifestyle among them.