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The research work examined the attitude of Tiv people of Benue State of Nigeria towards mental illness. A 21-Item developed questionnaire measuring demographic variables and attitude towards mental illness was used to collect the data. A total of 569 participants took part in the study from Tiv speaking local government areas of Benue state; out of this three hundred and six (53.78 %) were males and two hundred and thirty (40.42%) were females. Three hypotheses were tested using t-test for independent group. Results showed that there was a significant difference between youth and the elderly on their attitude towards mental illness (t (df = 566) = 2.05, P<.01). Also, there was a significant difference between male and female Tiv people on their attitude towards mental illness (t (df = 564) = 5.65; P<.01). Furthermore, there was a significant difference between the attitude of Tiv people in rural area and urban areas of Benue State (t (df = 565) = 3.70; P<.01). It was recommended that more awareness should be created and people should be sensitized about mental illness and see it as curable and manageable from scientific point of view.
Keywords: Attitude; Tiv People; Mental Illness
Mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves, and interacts with other people. It is diagnosed according to standardised criteria. It was considered as "a punishment God gave to sinner, as a spiritual torment that possess a person by the devil, or as a moral defect due to weakness of will" (Garke & Stewart, 1999). Blame was also brought upon parents and family members because it was believed that mental illness was due to poor parenting skills, weak character and inadequate upbringing (Mokuolu, 2009). Mental illnesses are of different types and degrees of severity. Some of the major types are depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder, personality disorders, and eating disorders. The most common mental illnesses are anxiety and depressive disorders. While eveiyone experiences strong feelings of tension, fear, or sadness at times, a mental illness is present when these feelings become so disturbing and overwhelming the person has great difficulty coping with day-to-day activities, such as work, enjoying leisure time, and maintaining relationships. At their most extreme, persons with a...