Academic literature on the topic 'Ghanaian students – Psychology'

While much is known about fear of crime in the West, little is known about how fearfulness of crime develops in non-Western societies, especially among university students. Representing the first attempt to empirically compare levels of fear of crime between Ghanaian and U.S. college students, this article examined students’ levels of fear of crime on campus, and tested the applicability of two evolving models of fear of crime—the vulnerability and reassurance models—using comparative data. The general finding is that Ghanaian and U.S. college students differ in terms of their rates of fearfulness on campus. This significant difference adds to the already existing differences between the two countries.

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the perception of Ghanaian medical students about factors influencing their career interest in psychiatry and to explore gender differences in these perceptions.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 5th and 6th year medical students in four public medical schools in Ghana. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 20.ResultsResponses were obtained from 545 medical students (response rate of 52%). Significantly, more male medical students expressed that stigma is an important consideration for them to choose or not to choose a career in psychiatry compared to their female counterparts (42.7% v. 29.7%, respectively). Over two-thirds of the medical students perceived that psychiatrists were at risk of being attacked by their patients, with just a little over a third expressing that risk was an important consideration for them to choose a career in psychiatry. There were no gender differences regarding perceptions about risk. Around 3 to 4 out of 10 medical students will consider careers in psychiatry if offered various incentives with no gender differences in responses provided.ConclusionOur study presents important and novel findings in the Ghanaian context, which can assist health policy planners and medical training institutions in Ghana to formulate policies and programs that will increase the number of psychiatry residents and thereby increase the psychiatrist-to-patient ratio in Ghana.

The pleasurable desire to move to a beat is known as groove and is partly explained by rhythmic syncopation. While many contemporary groove-directed genres originated in the African diaspora, groove music psychology has almost exclusively studied European or North American listeners. While cross-cultural approaches can help us understand how different populations respond to music, comparing African and Western musical behaviors has historically tended to rely on stereotypes. Here we report on two studies in which sensorimotor and groove responses to syncopation were measured in university students and staff from Cape Coast, Ghana and Williamstown, MA, United States. In our experimental designs and interpretations, we show sensitivity towards the ethical implications of doing cross-cultural research in an African context. The Ghanaian group showed greater synchronization precision than Americans during monophonic syncopated patterns, but this was not reflected in synchronization accuracy. There was no significant group difference in the pleasurable desire to move. Our results have implications for how we understand the relationship between exposure and synchronization, and how we define syncopation in cultural and musical contexts. We hope our critical approach to cross-cultural comparison contributes to developing music psychology into a more inclusive and culturally grounded field.

The purpose of this study is to explore experiences of stalking behaviors among midwifery students at one Ghanaian university, as well as their association with mental health disorders. Specifically, this study had the following three aims: (a) to identify the frequency of stalking experiences in this population; (b) to explore mental health symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, within this population; and (c) to better understand intervention opportunities related to stalking, including bystander intervention and use of available resources. The study utilized an exploratory mixed-methods design with surveys ( n = 118) and focus group discussions ( n = 2 with 16 participants) with midwifery students recruited from a centrally located Ghanaian university campus in July of 2018 using convenience sampling. Results indicate a large percentage (80.3%) of participants have experienced stalking behavior(s) within the last six months. Multiple regression analyses demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between any stalking behaviors and depressive symptomatology as well as between unwanted monitoring/following and anxiety. This was reinforced by focus group discussions in which participants discussed the themes of: (a) types of stalking, with a heavy emphasis on using technology for unwanted following/monitoring; (b) positive versus negative perceptions of stalking intentions, where some types of monitoring and following could be seen as forms of flattery or interest; and (c) barriers to seeking help that focused on stigma, cultural barriers, systemic barriers, and personal barriers. Future research should delve more deeply into barriers to existing resources to identify ways to increase accessibility for stalking survivors in connection with mental health services. This study also highlights the need for additional research to more clearly understand stalking in Ghana so that interventions can begin to address mental health services, healthy relationships, communication, and consent.

Positive Youth Development (PYD) frameworks which describe young people's strengths and their relation to thriving and risk outcomes have gained significance among developmental researchers globally. As these models are being increasingly adopted, concerns remain about their generalizability outside of North America. It has been observed that the distribution and salience of assets differ for young people based on their cultural context. To better understand these varying developmental patterns, this paper studies the distribution of developmental assets and 5 Cs (Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring, and Connection) in youth from various countries and contrasting backgrounds. The total sample consisted of 4,175 students (62.5% females) with age ranging from 15 to 25 years (M = 18.95, SD = 2.49). 981 students were from Ghana (52.5% females), 900 students from Kosovo (66.7% females), 425 students from Norway (73.5% females), 247 students from Portugal (42.1% females), 648 students from Slovenia (63.4% females,), and 974 students from Turkey (68.7% females). Before comparisons of the countries, partial scalar invariance was confirmed. Analyses revealed that all countries differed in at least some internal or external developmental assets and at least in one of the 5 Cs. When considering internal assets, participants from Ghana seemed to have higher levels of internal assets together with participants from Norway who have the highest commitment to learning. Slovenian youth reported the highest levels of external assets of support and empowerment. Regarding the 5 Cs, Ghanaian youth reported having the highest confidence and character, and youth from Ghana, Kosovo, and Turkey are more caring and connected to others. The results uncovered unique patterns of PYD for each included country which are discussed through the lens of its political and social context. Through this focus on cross-national PYD patterns, this study advanced knowledge about the experiences of youth from a wide range of backgrounds and put forth suggestions for better policy measures and more culturally relevant interventions for optimal development of youth embedded in different cultures and countries.

This qualitative study investigated attitudes among international students prior to their departure and following their arrival in the United States through a phenomenological research approach. Eight participants completed individual interviews in Accra, Ghana, and four participants completed follow-up email correspondence. The purpose of the study was to explain pre-migration expectations, post-migration experiences, and compare similarities and differences between perceptions and actual encounters. The researcher investigated five principle components of pre-migration: satisfaction with life prior to departure from the country of origin, impressions and expectations of the host country and predominate influences, awareness of discrimination in the host country, and culture-specific coping strategies used to overcome challenges related to acculturation. The researcher also investigated similar components of post-migration. The results of this study are consistent with those of prior acculturation research. Regarding pre-migration, participants acknowledged the following: the importance of preparation prior to departure, the likelihood of an adjustment period upon arrival, specific goals to strive for during the time abroad, and the emotional impact of discrimination and racism. Regarding post-migration, participants acknowledged the following: stress related to unfamiliar experiences with discrimination, stress related to overwhelming academic responsibilities, and the importance of culture-specific coping strategies, (e.g. family support and religiosity). The results of this study also identified new information regarding pre- and post-migration. Participants discussed a yearning to meet new people and gain exposure to foreign perspectives and viewpoints; however, they also expressed a strong desire to return home afterward and impart knowledge to others. Upon their arrival, participants recalled unanticipated causes of stress including transportation, time management, and communication with foreign counterparts. This study draws attention to the steadily increasing population of international students from Ghana living in the United States. The findings indicate that mental health professionals and academic advisors must consider the geographic and cultural context from which international students arrive and gather insight to enhance social, emotional, and academic resources prior to departure and immediately following arrival. This study also makes the case that current resources do not adequately account for the array of cultural differences between the United States and West African countries.

The aims of physical education in Ghana include developing personal qualities such as competence in students and generating interest in physical education and sports (Ghana Education Service, [GES], 1987). The GES has also reiterated the need to have competent teachers in the implementation of the school physical education syllabus; therefore few primary schools in Ghana have physical education specialists (detached teachers). There is the need to assess the impact these specialist teachers have on students in relation to classroom teachers and the extent to which the aims of physical education are being achieved. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed between students taught by physical education specialists and those taught by classroom teachers in their perceptions of competence, affect, and persistence in sports. It was hypothesized that students who were taught by physical education specialists would be significantly different from those taught by non-specialist teachers in their perceptions of competence, affect, and persistence. A sample of 483 class six boys and girls from four regions in Ghana completed items measuring perceptions of competence, affect, and persistence in sports. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed significant main effects for category (p<.001) and gender (p<.05) in each of the four regions examined. Students taught by specialist teachers differed significantly from those taught by classroom teachers in their perceptions of affect and persistence in sports. Findings also showed that students in specialist teacher and non-specialist teacher categories did not differ significantly in their perceptions of competence. Furthermore, results indicated that the significant gender effect was minimal and not meaningful. Overall, the present study provided further evidence of the influence of physical education specialists on amount of enjoyment students derive from sports. Findings also suggest the need for Ghanaian physical education teachers to improve upon their modes of teaching in order to enhance their students' competence perceptions. Attempts should also be made to validate Harter's (1985) Self-Perception Profile for Children for use within the Ghanaian culture and to find those specific areas on which students base their competence judgments.<br>Graduation date: 1998