RONZONI ET AL.: STIGMATIZATION OF MENTAL ILLNESS 1 STIGMATIZATION OF MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG NIGERIAN SCHOOLCHILDREN

Background: Despite the fact that about 10 % of children experience mental health problems, they tend to hold negative views about mental illness. The objective of this study was to investigate the views of Nigerian schoolchildren towards individuals with mental illness or mental health problems. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. Junior and senior secondary schoolchildren from rural and urban southwest Nigeria were asked: ‘What sorts of words or phrases might you use to describe someone who experiences mental health problems? ’ The responses were tabulated, grouped and interpreted by qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Of 164 students, 132 (80.5%) responded to the question. Six major themes emerged from the answers. The most popular descriptions were ‘derogatory terms’ (33%). This was followed by ‘abnormal appearance and behaviour ’ (29.6%); ‘don’t know ’ answers (13.6%); ‘physical illness and disability ’ (13.6%); ‘negative emotional states ’ (6.8%); and ‘language and communication diffi culties ’ (3.4%). Conclusion: The results suggest that, similar to fi ndings elsewhere, stigmatization of mental illness is highly prevalent among Nigerian children. This may be underpinned by lack of knowledge regarding mental health problems and/or fuelled by the media. Educational interventions and encouraging contact with mentally ill persons could play a role in reducing stigma among schoolchildren. Key words: Nigerian schoolchildren, stigma, views towards mental illness BACKGROUND Mental illness among young people is common, with approximately 1 in 10 children suffering from at least one psychiatric condition (Ford et al., 1999). However, there is evidence of the presence of negative attitudes and emotions and an increasing level of stigmatization of mental illness within this age group, which are all obstacles to help-seeking (Pescosolido et al., 2007; Hopayian et al.