IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH (IJSSMR )

E-ISSN 2545-5303
P-ISSN 2695-2203
VOL. 11 NO. 3 2025
DOI: 10.56201/ijssmr.vol.11no3.2025.pg.248.264

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Perceived Social Support, Hardiness and Emotional Well-Being among Patients’ Caregivers in Selected Tertiary Health Institutions in Makurdi, Nigeria

Ene Mary Ameh, Samuel Terzungwe Anhange PhD, and Helen Chinelo Ogwuche PhD

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Abstract

This study examined perceived social support, hardiness and emotional well-being among patients’ caregivers in selected tertiary health institutions in Makurdi, Nigeria. The study adopted cross-sectional survey design using 384 patients’ caregivers currently supporting patients at the Federal Medical Centre Makurdi and Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi. They were sampled using Accidental sampling technique. They comprised of 74 (19.3%) males and 310 (80.7%) females. Their ages ranged from 21-54years with a mean age of 31.02 years (SD=12.901). Data were collected using the multidimensional scale of perceived social support, hardiness scale and emotional well-being scale. Multiple linear regression, Hayes process mediation analysis, and Standard multiple regression were used for statistical analyses. The results indicated that, there was a significant influence of hardiness on emotional wellbeing among patients’ caregivers. In terms of the dimensions, the result indicated that Challenge, Control, and Commitment made significant positive contributions to emotional wellbeing. The result also indicated that, there was a significant influence of perceived social support on emotional wellbeing among patients’ caregivers. As for the dimensions, significant others, family support and friends support made significant positive contributions to emotional wellbeing. The result also indicated that perceived social support significantly mediated the influence of hardiness on emotional wellbeing among patients’ caregivers. The result also indicated that there was a significant joint influence of hardiness and perceived social support on emotional wellbeing among patients’ caregivers. It was recommended that there is need for all patient-caregivers in tertiary health institutions in Benue State to be given training on hardiness skills by psychologists as they initiate support services to their patients at the hospitals. This c

keywords:

Perceived social support, Hardiness, Emotional wellbeing, Caregivers.

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