Rivers State University

Faculty of Social sciences

Department of Psychology

June 2022

Dear Respondent,

The Researcher from the above mentioned Institution/Department is currently carrying out a research
on “The Influence of Perceived Social support and Coping styles on Psychological wellbeing of Inmates
in Nigerian Correctional centres”.

Kindly respond to the items on the questionnaire as candidly as possible since it would only take 30
minutes of your time. Based on the ethics of research, utmost confidentiality is upheld as data obtained
will only be used for the said purpose.

Yours faithfully,

The Researcher

For enquiries, contact the Researcher on

080…..
Section A: (Participant’s information)
Instruction: Please give the needed information about yourself by ticking the appropriate box or
filling the blank space.

Age: ___________

Gender: Male ( ) Female ( )

Marital Status: Married ( ) Single ( ) Divorced ( ) Separated ( ) Widow/Widower ( )

Number of children if any: _____________

Religious affiliation: Christian ( ) Muslim ( ) Traditional ( )

Ethnic Group: Igbo ( ) Hausa ( ) Yoruba ( ) others specify: ____________

Years in Prison: _______________

Crime committed: __________________

Section B
Instruction: Read each statement carefully and answer the questions truthfully. There are no
correct/incorrect responses. Indicate your response to the items below using the response options as
follows:

5= Strongly Agree (SA), 4= Agree (A), 3= Undecided (UN), 2=Disagree (D), 1= Strongly Disagree (SD)

Please do not skip any item. Answer each one by ticking the appropriate response option

S/N ITEMS SA A UN D SD
1 There is a special person who is around when
I am in need.
2 There is a special person with whom I can
share my joys and sorrows
3 My family really tries to help
Me
4 I get the emotional help and support I need
from my family.
5 I have a special person who is a real source of
comfort to me.
6 My friends really try to help me.
7 I can count on my friends when things go
wrong
8 I can talk about my problems with my family
9 I have friends with whom I can share my joys
and sorrows.
10 There is a special person in my life that cares
about my feelings.
11 My family is willing to help me make
decisions.
12 I can talk about my problems with my friends.

Section C
Instruction: Read each statement carefully and answer the questions with care. Indicate your
response to the items as specified above.

Please do not skip any item.

S/N ITEMS SA A UN D SD
1 I've been turning to work or other activities
to take my mind off things.
2 I've been concentrating my efforts on doing
something about the situation I'm in.
3 I've been saying to myself "this isn't real".
4 I've been using alcohol or other drugs to
make myself feel better
5 I've been getting emotional support from
others.
6 I've been giving up trying to deal with it.
7 I've been taking action to try to make the
situation better.
8 I've been refusing to believe that it has
happened
9 I've been saying things to let my unpleasant
feelings escape.
10 I’ve been getting help and advice from other
people.
11 I've been using alcohol or other drugs to help
me get through it.
12 I've been trying to see it in a different light, to
make it seem more positive.
13 I’ve been criticizing myself.
14 I've been trying to come up with a strategy
about what to do.
15 I've been getting comfort and understanding
from someone
16 I've been giving up the attempt to cope.
 Section D
Instruction: Please read each statement carefully and answer with care. Indicate your response to
the items as previously stated above. Please do not skip any item.

S/N ITEMS SA A UN D SD
1 I like most parts of my personality 5 4 3 2 1
2 When I look at the story of my life, I am
pleased with how things have turned out
3 Some people wander aimlessly through life,
but I am not one of them
4 The demands of everyday life often get me
down
5 In many ways I feel disappointed about my
achievements in life
6 Maintaining close relationships has been
difficult and frustrating for me
7 I live life one day at a time and don’t really
think about the future
8 In general, I feel confident and positive about
myself
9 I am good at managing the responsibilities of
daily life
10 I sometimes feel as if I’ve done all there is to
do in life
11 For me, life has been a continuous process of
learning, changing and growth
12 I think it is important to have new
experiences that challenge how you think
about yourself and the world
13 People would describe me as a giving person,
willing to share my time with others.
14 I gave up trying to make big improvements or
changes in my life a long time ago
15 I tend to be influenced by people with strong
opinions
16 I have not experienced many warm and
trusting relationships with others
17 I have confidence in my opinions, even if they
are contrary to the general consensus
18 I judge myself by what I think is important,
not by the values of what others think is
important