By Justina Auta
A Psychologist, Prof. Andrew Zamani, has advocated mandatory psychological assessments for intending couples and security personnel to reduce the alarming violence rate and firearm accidental discharge cases in the country.
Zamani, President of Pan-African Psychology Union (PASU) and Chairman, International Union of Psychology Unions Committee on Cross Border Mental Health Issues, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said that the psychological assessments would help identify potential red flags, prevent future conflicts in relationships and minimise incidences of deaths or injuries from accidental discharge of firearms.
According to him, not every psychological assessment yields outcomes that are directly related to mental health, but they give results that have implications for self-development, self enhancement and others.
“I will advise that in this age and era, psychological assessment is necessary, especially for people who want to make a success of their marital relationships.
“If people accept to take psychological tests, they will know their level of emotional stability on a continuum and the fact that they get to know about their status now does not mean it’s going to remain like that.
“So, they can begin to work on issues that are adversely affected and be able to know the kinds of people that they are by the characterisation of the various psychological tools.
“When you know your strengths, your weaknesses, when you get to know what kind of a person you are and what kind of a person your partner is, it is enough information to find areas on which you can work on.
“With the help of counsellors, you will ensure that you prevent the inevitable,” he said.
On the issue of accidental discharge of firearms, he said that the group had taken psychological assessment advisories to security agencies.
He added that regular psychological assessment for personnel would also help identify high risk individuals with potential mental health issues; improve firearm handling, reduce stress and anxiety as well as protect lives.
“We have taken our psychological assessment advisories to security agencies and they have welcomed it.
“People who are gun handlers, they took tests and you won’t believe it that we found some of them wanting on certain characteristics that predict risks for accidental discharge.
“We confronted them and they accept that we should help them. Now, after doing that, they are not punished but reintegrated into the service and given roles that are not likely to cause risk to the public.
“Most of them found fulfilment eventually, because they have been assisted to grow,” he said.
He, therefore, reiterated the commitment of PASU in contributing to healthcare services and mental health law in the country. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)
Edited by Francis Onyeukwu
