MENTAL ILL-HEALTH AND PRONESS TO GET-RICH-QUICK-SYNDROME AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN LAGOS STATE: NEED FOR ATTITUDINAL CHANGE

Abstract

Nowadays, adolescents have been put under unnecessary pressure to succeed at all costs with too much emphasis on achievement, competition and success. Quite a number of them try to cut corners while others get involved in various dubious acts, such as cybercrime, ritual killing, kidnapping and fraud. This has led to what is known as get-rich-quick syndrome. Get-Rich-Quick Syndrome is the endless and unabated desire and quest for making quick money not minding its attendant dangers and consequences. This paper, therefore, examined mental ill-health and proness to get-rich-quicksyndrome among adolescents in Lagos State: need for attitudinal change. The study adopted the descriptive survey with one research question and two hypotheses formulated to guide the research. The sample consisted of 170 students randomly selected from five secondary schools in Lagos Sate. A 20-item questionnaire titled “Mental ill- Health and Proness to Get-Rich-Quick-Syndrome Questionnaire” (MPGRQSQ) was designed for data collection. Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the instrument stood at 0.82. Data analysis was carried out with the use of percentages, Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and t-test. The first hypothesis was rejected, while the second one was retained. Results showed that more adolescents are prone to get-richquick syndrome and there is a strong correlation between mental ill-health and proness to get-richquick syndrome among students. Results also revealed that their proness is not gender specific. Therefore, counselling psychologists have a responsibility in assisting these students to have attitudinal change towards quick riches and adults in the society should lead by example.