Ghanaian University Students Research Articles

Assessing the dimensionality of the sense of coherence scale (SOC-L9) using Ghanaian university students: Guarding against the method effect

BackgroundThe dimensionality of the sense of coherence (SOC-L9) scale has been in contention due to the varied factor structure revealed in the literature. In this study, we assessed the dimensionality of the SOC-L9 scale using Ghanaian university students while guarding against the method effect. The study also examined the gender measurement invariance of the scale. MethodsThis research conveniently sampled 1062 students who responded to the SOC-L9 scale with negative items reversed to positive items. A larger proportion of the participants were male students (n = 769, 72.4 %), with 293(27.6 %) being female students. The youngest participant was 18 years old, whereas the oldest was 42 years old. Following all validation studies protocols, four distinct confirmatory factor analysis models were fitted and compared (i.e., unidimensional, three-factor first-order, three-factor second-order and bifactor models). ResultsThe initial model comparison revealed that the bifactor CFA model [CFI = 0.958, SRMR = 0.036, AIC = 21231.35, BIC = 21370.45] was superior to the unidimensional [CFI = 0.914, SRMR = 0.046, AIC = 26280.67, BIC = 26414.8] and 3-factor models [CFI = 0.932, SRMR = 0.040, AIC = 26221.67, BIC = 26370.71]. Upon further probing, it was discovered that SOC-L9 functions best as a unidimensional scale for the university student population. Gender measurement invariance was established for configural invariance [CFI = 0.986, SRMR = 0.044], metric invariance [CFI = 0.894, SRMR = 0.051] and scalar invariance [CFI = 0.983, SRMR = 0.047]. ConclusionThe SOC-L9 scale has a nested structure with the various sub-scales interacting to produce a summary total observed score. The structure of the SOC-L9 requires scholars to treat the scale as a unidimensional scale rather than a multidimensional one. This latent structure was found to be consistent with male and female university students.

Perceptions and enablers of sustainable development: a comparative study of Ghanaian university students’ engagement with the SDGs

Perceptions and enablers of sustainable development: a comparative study of Ghanaian university students’ engagement with the SDGs

Exploring the impact of VoiceBots on multimedia programming education among Ghanaian university students

Exploring the impact of <scp>VoiceBots</scp> on multimedia programming education among Ghanaian university students

‘It's like donating blood’: Ghanaian university students' knowledge and attitudes towards egg and sperm donation

There is anecdotal evidence that third-party reproduction, in particular gamete donation, is on the rise in Ghana. This is not surprising, considering the country has adopted assisted conception through the use of reproductive technologies for the past three decades. These technologies primarily aid infertile couples in Ghana in fulfilling their procreative responsibilities within the Ghanaian family and society. Potential donors' opinions regarding gamete donation have received minimal attention in the Ghanaian discourse on assisted reproductive technology (ART) usage. This study explores the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate university students regarding gamete donation. The study utilized a qualitative methodology, which included 21 in-depth telephone interviews with students who were potential gamete donors. The data were thematically analyzed. The results of the study show that the participants knew that gamete donation was performed in Ghana. Positive sentiments about the technique were motivated by altruism, whereas negative attitudes were motivated by the urge to adhere to cultural norms that stigmatize incest and children conceived by artificial means. The decision to donate or decline egg or sperm donation was significantly influenced by one's religious convictions.

Perceptions of Effectiveness of Academic Advising: Case of Ghanaian University Students

Perceptions of Effectiveness of Academic Advising: Case of Ghanaian University Students

ASSESSMENT FAIRNESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST: EVALUATING THE FACTOR STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENT INVARIANCE ACROSS GENDER

The specific purpose of the study was to evaluate the factor structure of statistics assessment fairness inventory (SAFI) which was adapted for the Ghanaian context and further examine measurement invariance across gender. SAFI factor structure and construct validity were assessed with a sample of 735 Ghanaian university students through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Through an exploratory factor analysis, five dimensions were obtained which include: learning materials and practices, test design, opportunity to demonstrate learning test administration and grading, and offering feedback. A confirmatory factor analysis was then conducted to examine the factor loadings of the items. Further analysis revealed a partial measurement invariance of the fairness construct with equal means and equal variances in relation to gender. This suggested that the SAFI is valid, reliable, and can equally work across gender. It is recommended that SAFI has important implications for decisions regarding the conduct of especially, high-stakes examinations.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/edu/0758/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Effects of cyberbullying on the academic life of Ghanaian tertiary students

PurposeThis study aims to examine the effects of cyberbullying on the academic lives of Ghanaian university students. It also establishes whether cyberbullying victims, perpetrators, victim-perpetrators and bystanders differed in their thoughts on the effects of cyberbullying on students’ academic lives.Design/methodology/approachThis study is anchored on Bandura’s theory of triadic reciprocal determinism and Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs. This study uses a cross-sectional survey design and quantitative approach to collect the data from 1,374 students from three public universities. The authors use descriptive statistics and ANOVA techniques to analyse the data.FindingsThe results show that the effects of cyberbullying on academic life are difficulty concentrating on studies, difficulty studying in groups and difficulty assessing important academic information online. There is also a statistically significant difference among cyberbullying victims, perpetrators, victim-perpetrators and bystanders in their thoughts on the effects of cyberbullying on students’ academic lives.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the literature on cyberbullying in the Ghanaian tertiary education environment. Even though the impact of cyberbullying on academics in Ghanaian universities may seem minimal, it is still imperative that it be checked, as it is significant enough to disrupt effective academic work. Thus, this study adds to the existing literature on cyberbullying from a developing country perspective.

Instruments Assessing Problematic Use of the Internet and Their Associations with Psychological Distress among Ghanaian University Students

Instruments Assessing Problematic Use of the Internet and Their Associations with Psychological Distress among Ghanaian University Students

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Intake, Dietary Behavior, Mental Health, and Academic Performance of a Ghanaian University Students

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Intake, Dietary Behavior, Mental Health, and Academic Performance of a Ghanaian University Students

Does Gender Correlate with Psychological Health-Seeking Behaviour of Ghanaian University Students?

Does Gender Correlate with Psychological Health-Seeking Behaviour of Ghanaian University Students?

Towards improving the utilisation of counselling centre services by Ghanaian university students: An exploratory study

This study sought to explore university students’ expectations from on-campus counselling centres in order to improve service utilisation. A total of 72 Ghanaian students attending a public university in Accra (64% females; 85% undergraduate; 90% in the 18–35 age range) provided written responses of their expectations from their counselling centre. Thematic analyses yielded two essential counselling centre needs: Enhanced counselling centre functions and the elimination of systems barriers. For enhanced counselling centre functions, students reported needing traditional and non-traditional services, as well as advocacy efforts on their behalf. Systems barriers students wanted eliminated were stigma, low awareness and inaccessibility. These findings indicate a need for a holistic approach to service delivery, and elimination of services-seeking barriers to improve counselling centre service utilisation at Ghanaian universities.

Digital financial service adoption decisions of semi-urban Ghanaian university students – implications for enterprise development and job creation

PurposeThis paper reports results of an investigation into semi-urban Ghanaian university youths' attitude to digitized financial services (DFSs) and the determinants of their adoption decisions.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative cross-sectional research approach was used. Three hundred and seventy-five (375) university students were randomly selected from a semi-urban town in Ghana to test the applicability of technology acceptance model (TAM) within such a context. Structural equation modeling was employed to assess stated hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate a high penetration of digital financial services among the students, which confirms the applicability of TAM for such studies. The results further suggest that DFS provides a pathway to financial inclusion and can stimulate small enterprise development and job creation in Ghana's semi-urban communities.Originality/valueHitherto, little academic attention has been given to digitization of financial services in semi-urban African towns. The study contributes to filling this research gap.

Emotional Eating among Ghanaian University Students: Associations with Physical and Mental Health Measures.

Eating behaviors are a set of cognitive processes that influence dietary decision making and, thus, overall health. Some of the most studied eating behaviors are those characterized by the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire-18 (TFEQ). The TFEQ examines three eating behaviors: emotional eating (EE), uncontrolled eating (UE), and restrained eating (RE). While frequently used, there is little information characterizing these eating behaviors in the Ghanaian population. This cross-sectional study describes EE, UE, and RE behaviors in a university student population (n = 129) in Ghana. Of the three behaviors, EE was the only one associated with any of the health outcomes in this study: BMI for males (r = 0.388, p = 0.002) and anxiety (r = 0.471, p < 0.001, higher score is less desirable), and sleep quality (r = 0.464, p < 0.001, higher score is less desirable) for females. Overweight and obese females reported significantly higher EE scores compared to healthy weight females (35.7 ± 23.7 vs. 11.9 ± 15.6, p = 0.002). No such observation was observed among overweight and obese males (p > 0.05). EE, UE, and RE scores did not differ between males and females. While this study provides important information about the eating behaviors of Ghanaian university students and allows for comparison to students from other cultures, future work must develop culturally relevant tools for the Ghanaian population.

Association between Poor Quality of Sleep and Metabolic Syndrome in Ghanaian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim This study aimed to determine the association between quality of sleep and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and physical activity level in young adults at the University of Ghana. Method In a cross-sectional design, 340 university students, aged between 20-30 years were recruited. Quality of sleep was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index (PSQI) and physical activity with the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). Poor quality of sleep was defined as a global PSQI score>5 and low physical activity level as those not meeting the criteria for vigorous-moderate physical activity. Anthropometric features and blood pressures were measured, and fasting blood samples were collected from the participants to measure plasma levels of glucose, lipid profile, urea, and creatinine. MetS was defined using the Joint Scientific Statement criteria. Results In our study population of young adults from Ghana, the prevalence of poor quality of sleep as measured by PSQI was 54.1%, and MetS was 12.4%. MetS was associated with poor quality of sleep in females [OR (95%CI) = 2.11 (1.04–4.25), p = 0.038] and entire study participants [2.18 (1.09–4.37) p = 0.029] in both crude and adjusted models; no association was found in male participants. Low physical activity status was not associated with poor sleep status. Obesity [1.32 (1.02–3.56), p = 0.043], but not overweight [0.99 (0.58–2.34), p = 0.862], was associated with poor quality of sleep. Conclusion Young adults in a Ghanaian university have a high prevalence of poor quality of sleep and is associated with MetS and obesity. Physical activity status was not associated with poor quality of sleep.

Fear of COVID-19, perceived academic stress, future anxiety, and psychological distress of Ghanaian university students: A serial mediation examination

The study examined the direct and indirect relationships between fear of COVID-19 (FC), perceived academic stress (PAS), future anxiety (FA), and psychological distress (PD) among students in Ghana. Students (n = 241; female= 64.1%; mean age= 21.54 years, SD = 2.04 years) completed online surveys on fear of COVID-19, perceived academic stress, future anxiety, and psychological distress. Following mediation analysis performed in PROCESS, results revealed that academic stress and future anxiety independently and serially mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress. Independently, PAS mediated the relationship between FC and PD, and FA similarly mediated this relationship. Considered together, the effect of FC on PD initially occurred through PAS, and then FA We conclude that high psychological distress is associated with increased fear of COVID-19, perceived academic stress, and future anxiety of Ghanaian university students.

Social media use, and fear of COVID-19 among Ghanaian university students: the moderating role of gender

BackgroundCOVID-19 and its associated social restrictive measures and lockdowns exacerbated the use of social media and other technological facilities for communication. This study, therefore, examined Ghanaian students’ social media use and its relationship with fear of COVID-19, paying close attention to the moderating role of gender.MethodsA correlational online survey was used to collect data from a purposive sample of 209 University students in June and July 2020. Participants completed online measures on social media use and fear of COVID-19. Statistical analyses including independent-t test, Pearson correlation test and moderation analysis in PROCESS were conducted using SPSS v.24.ResultsFindings revealed that the mean scores of social media use and fear of COVID-19 did not statistically differ by gender. However, social media use had a small and positive association with fear of COVID-19 (r = 0.18, p = 0.009). Furthermore, gender was a significant moderator of the relationship between social media use and fear of COVID-19. Specifically, the increased use of social media resulted in greater experiences of fearing COVID-19 for females (B = − 0.24, p = 0.034) compared to males.ConclusionAlthough social media was useful in connecting with people and accessing pandemic-related information, our findings clearly suggest that overuse or over-engagement with social media was problematic, especially for females. Aside from developing interventions to reduce students’ fears of COVID-19, appropriate usage of social media should be advocated.

The extent of self-reported impact of COVID-19 on daily academic activities and incomes among university students in Kumasi, Ghana

Students at universities are becoming recognized as a vulnerable populace, with much greater rates of depression and workload/activities than the overall population amidst COVID-19. As such, the present research intends to document the extent of self-reported impact on university students' everyday accademic lives and incomes. In August of 2021, a cross-sectional, self-administered internet-based poll was conducted among Ghanaian university students in Kumasi. The data was retrieved from the internet using Microsoft Excel and then analyzed using STATA software version 14. Both univariate and logistic regression analysis were performed, with a p-value&lt;0.05 regarded statistically significant (*). The study included 430 participants, majority of whom were single (98.6%), young adults (89.8%), and Christians (90.7%). This survey found that 52.1% said the COVID-19 epidemic has a highly significant impact on their daily activities and income. Among other risk factors considered by the study, only students with a perceived risk of COVID-19 infection are approximately three times more likely to be affected by the pandemic in their daily academic activities and incomes than those who were not (Adj. OR = 2.516, 95CI% = 1.551–4.081, p &lt; 0.001). The knowledge advanced by this study will educate stakeholders and aid policy-makers in higher education in improving public educational provisions. The results of this study may be used to predict the future effects of the pandemic. The novelty of this research also lies in its self-reported approach to analyzing the effect of the pandemic on the income and everyday academic activities of university students in Kumasi.

Effects of a controlled exercise programme on anthropometric parameters, dietary habit and sleep quality of obese university students

According to WHO, obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally. In spite of growing public awareness of the importance of weight loss, obesity prevalence continues to rise with at least 2.8 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of jogging exercise programme (JEP) on anthropometric parameters, dietary habit and sleep quality of obese Ghanaian university students. This randomised controlled study employed 33 obese (BMI &gt; 30 kg/m2) students from a tertiary university in Ghana. The experimental group participated in a six-week, 3-5 times/week JEP for 45 and 40 minutes per session while the control group had intervention free session. Anthropometric parameters were assessed using the Omron body composition analyser and a standard tape measure. Sleep quality and Dietary habit were determined using a pre-validated Sleep Quality Scale and Performance of a Brief Dietary Assessment and Intervention tool for Health Professionals questionnaire respectively. The participants had a mean age of 21.70 ± 3.74 years. There were 14 (42.4%) males and 19 (57.6%) females of which 26 (80.8%) were indigenous and 7 (19.2%) were international students. There was significant decrease in body mass index, waist to hip ratio, and visceral fat; and increase in sleep quality (p &lt; .05) at the end of the intervention period. However, the dietary habit of the experimental group did not change significantly (p &gt; .05). In conclusion, JEP has positive impacts on anthropometric parameters and sleep quality of obese persons.

School library and students’ understanding of public administration

Student difficulty in public administration has witnessed some writings within the African context. Although these studies are emerging, there seems to be minimal research on the influence of school libraries on students’ understanding of public administration. This gap in the public administration literature precludes educational managers from determining whether or not the variable influences students understanding of the course/programme. Not establishing this places educational managers in a situation that inhibits them from placing measures to enhance the understanding of the course from the lenses of school libraries. This study responds to the gap in the public administration literature by employing a mixed-method approach to investigate the influence of the variable in the study of public administration by Ghanaian and Nigerian university students using a sample of N = 650. Anchored on the Culturo-Techno- Contextual Approach, the study results suggest significant differences in corruption, governance, and defining public administration ( p &lt; .001) when there are poor school libraries. Both theoretical and practical implications have been proferred for the use of school libraries to enhance students’ understanding of difficult concepts in the study of public administration in Ghanaian and Nigerian universities.

Gender Risk Perception and Coping Mechanisms among Ghanaian University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Recent research has shown that gender is an important driver of the risk of mortality and morbidity rates for people with COVID-19, with case fatality rates being higher for women than men. Despite this pattern, research is sparse on gender risk perception and potential coping mechanisms. This study examined the role gender plays in the relationship between COVID-19 risk perception and coping mechanisms among university students. Through the adoption of traditional and online surveys, 859 students from two public universities in Ghana were conveniently selected to respond to the survey instrument. The results from the multivariate regression analysis revealed that COVID-19 risk perception was positively related to active coping. The outcome of the moderation analysis showed that while males were more likely than females to adopt active and emotional support coping with heightened risk perception, a contrary outcome was observed for behaviour disengagement. This result is an indication that female students are likely to be overwhelmed with a high level of risk perception and easily give up trying to adopt effective strategies to reduce the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The findings highlight the need for different forms of intervention for male and female students for dealing with the effect of COVID-19.