Displacement and Depression: Do Social Support, Self-Concept, and Health Locus of Control Matter?

Depression is a psychological concern among Bakassi returnees yet evidence concerning the relationships of social support, health locus of control, and self-concept associated with depression among Bakassi returnees in Nigeria remains limited. Guided by Learned Helplessness Theory, this study examined the independent and interactive associations of social support, health locus of control, and self-concept with depression among 222 Bakassi returnees in Eket and Ibiono Ibom Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected using standardized measures. Data were analysed using a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results revealed a significant main effect of social support on depression, F(1, 214) = 14.82, p < .001, partial η² = .065, with depression scores differing significantly between low- and high-social-support groups. Self-concept also showed a significant main effect, F(1, 214) = 26.03, p< .001, partial η² = .108, with depression scores differing significantly between low- and high-self-concept groups. Health locus of control showed no significant main effect. None of the two-way interactions among the variables was significant, and the three-way interaction was also nonsignificant. Thus, social support and self-concept were independently associated with depression, whereas health locus of control showed no significant independent association. The nonsignificant interactions indicate that these associations did not significantly vary across levels of the other psychosocial variables. Findings highlight the relevance of social support and self-concept in understanding depression among Bakassi returnees and may inform psychosocial assessment and support programmes.

Depression; internally displaced persons; Bakassi returnees; social support; health locus of control; self-concept, psychosocial factors; Nigeria

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