CORRELATION OF NARCISSISM ON MENTAL HEALTH OF SPOUSES IN AFIJIO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE

Abstract

The current study investigates the correlation between narcissism and the mental health of spouses in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State. The study adopted a descriptive correlational research design. Four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The population comprised all married men and women residing in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State. A sample of 50 respondents was selected using simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using the Narcissism and Spousal Mental Health Questionnaire (NSMHQ), comprising adapted versions of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI-16) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The reliability of the instrument was confirmed using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Findings revealed that respondents exhibited moderate to high levels of narcissistic traits (M = 3.08). Mental health outcomes included moderate depression (M = 2.90), moderately high anxiety (M = 3.05), and high stress levels (M = 3.18). The results further indicated significant positive relationships between narcissism and depression (r = 0.49, p < 0.05), anxiety (r = 0.52, p < 0.05), and stress (r = 0.58, p < 0.05). It is recommended that counsellors, mental health professionals, and government agencies promote marital counselling, psychological awareness programmes, and emotional intelligence training to mitigate the adverse effects of narcissism on spousal mental health.