Students’ Mental and Emotional Health Examination in Universities: Implications for Implementing Entrepreneurship Education in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study explored the influence of students’ mental and emotional health in universities and their implications for implementing entrepreneurship education in Cross River State of Nigeria as the focal point. Descriptive survey research design was adopted and three research questions were answered in the study. A sample of 812 respondents in four Faculties were randomly and purposively drawn from a population of 27,285 undergraduates in University of Calabar and University of Cross River State to participate in the study. A 30-item validated questionnaire titled: Students’ Health Examination and Implementation of Entrepreneurship Education Survey (SHEIEES) was employed for data collection. The instrument was tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha at a statistical index .87 which was adjudged good enough for data collection. Mean and standard deviation was used for data analysis. Findings indicated a high prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among the students, which were attributed to academic pressures, financial concerns, and social adjustments with a mean and standard deviation score of 3.02±1.29. The results indicated that most Nigerian students often experience homesickness upon leaving home for university and faced difficulties establishing social support systems among others. It was also found that these mental and emotional challenges potentially influence the effectiveness of implementing entrepreneurship education in the sampled universities with a mean score of 7.81±4.12. The results equally showed that by forming entrepreneurship-focused student clubs and organizing events/workshops with professional mentors, universities can provide experiential learning opportunities for students to explore business ideas, networks, and gain practical skills in entrepreneurship with a mean score of 2.90±0.25. It was concluded and recommended therefore that by addressing students' mental health needs with implementable strategies, universities can enhance their engagement, well-being, and overall success in entrepreneurship learning.