The Influence of Mental Health and Political Participation on Civic Engagement

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@article{1708569,
      author = {Olamide Emmanuel Abe, Comfort Iregbenosi ADAMS},
      title = {The Influence of Mental Health and Political Participation on Civic Engagement},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2025},
      volume = {8},
      number = {11},
      pages = {1302-1316},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1708569.pdf},
      abstract = {In contemporary democratic systems, the intersection of mental health, political participation, and civic engagement is increasingly critical within developing societies where socio-political instability exacerbates psychological distress. In Nigeria, a country faced with governance challenges, economic disparities, and weak public institutions, the psychological condition of citizens shapes their willingness to engage civically or participate in political processes. Despite the global recognition of the role of mental well-being in fostering active citizenship, empirical studies examining this nexus within the Nigerian are limited. This study aims to (1) examine the extent to which mental health predicts civic engagement among Nigerian citizens; (2) assess the impact of political participation on the psychological well-being of individuals within the Nigerian political system; and (3) analyse how mental health and political participation jointly mediate the relationship with civic engagement. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design using a quantitative approach. It was conducted in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, using a small sample size of twenty-three purposively selected respondents who are civically and politically active scholars. A structured questionnaire based on constructs from the Civic Voluntarism Model (CVM) was administered online to collect data on mental health status, political engagement, and civic participation. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), with non-parametric techniques employed due to violations of normal distribution. Findings reveal a generally positive association between mental well-being and civic engagement (Mean = 3.83; SD = 1.114), as well as a moderate affirmation of the link between mental health and political participation (Mean = 3.52; SD = 1.504). Emotional resilience recorded the lowest mean (3.26), barriers to sustained engagement due to psychological or structural burnout within a political system as a result of political activities or engagement. The study concludes that psychological wellness and political activeness are intertwined and jointly shape civic engagement patterns in Nigeria.},
      keywords = {Mental health, political participation, civic engagement, Civic Voluntarism Model, democratic development.},
      month = {May},
  }