Sociology of Mental Illness: the Study of the Un-institutionalized Mentally Challenged in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Nigeria
matched shoes=0, matched shoes=1;
(4) general appearance- dirty=0, neat/clean=1.
A person is expected to consistently score an average of below 2 points in ten encounters with the researchers to be finally chosen for the next stage of the selection process. This approach is necessary in that some of them return to their homes (or are forced to return by their relatives), to get refreshed (bath and change their clothes – even with this, many of them do not their clothes often or on daily basis). Also, we need to distinguish those whose jobs do not permit them to wear clean clothes while working such as mechanics, bricklayers and other odd jobbers.
Stage B:
(1) Association: a loner=0, in contact with other people=1
(2) Conversation with other people: nil=0, able to hold coherent discussion=1
(3) bland/far away look=0; aware of the presence of other people=1.
An average of 1 or below qualifies the person for this study. Finally, the “sane” people confirmed the state of the participants.
Periodic visits were made at an interval of three months to establish the stability of the condition of the selected subjects. Chance encounters (with the selected subjects) were also taken into consideration. For example, some stray into petrol stations, drinking joints or parties (particularly open air) and or the markets to beg for money or food. Virtually all the subjects have their routes and meticulously keep to them. The method of observation adopted by the researchers include, (1) sitting in their cars, (2) visits to the markets and beer parlours (male researchers). The latter method provided the opportunity to elicit responses from the “sane” about the subjects and (3) strolling/driving past the subjects’ “homes.”
Gender-wise the sample consists of seventeen males and eight females. Only small number (5 or 20 percent) of the population under study is willing to or is able to speak or interact “reasonably” with other people. Beyond sporadic and mostly expressionless stare at people, they do not seem to notice or perhaps feel disturbed by anybody. This poses problems to the ability to study this category of people using the conventional methods of study, such as the survey, interview and questionnaire participant observation techniques. These methods require that the researcher intrude into the social setting they are attempting to describe and, “they create as well as measure attitudes”. The methods also elicit atypical roles and responses and are limited to those who are accessible and will cooperate, and the responses obtained are produced in part by dimensions of individual differences irrelevant to the topic at hand (Webb et al, 1966:1). Strictly random sampling technique does not also seem to be appropriate for selecting the subjects in that some of the subjects disappear to reappear after some time (the point being made here is that we feel compelled to replace subjects who disappear for more than three weeks). Finally, the focus of this study is more on our perception of these people rather than on how they perceive us.
From the forgoing, it is evident that an unconventional approach is desirable for this type of study – thus, we used the unobtrusive technique. This method allows the researcher to observe people’s behaviour (who in the real sense do not care) without them knowing that they are being studied (Webb et al, 1966; Henslin, 2001; Barbie, 2005). The major advantage of this approach is that it does not require strict physical or verbal interaction between the researcher and the subjects. This method has proved to be most relevant to this study in that, as mentioned earlier, a greater proportion of the sample will neither speak nor react coherently to questions if posed to them. We are mindful of the effects of prolonged discouragement or lack of social interaction with the sane (see Coleman, 2001). Again, since the focus of this study is on our perception of the way of life of the subjects, their survival mechanisms and how the rest of us can better assist them, the method of data collection used does not necessarily call for active participation of or interaction with the subjects. Another factor which gives credence to the use of the unobtrusive technique emanates from the observed reactions of some of the subjects to perceived intrusion into their normal activities. For example, when school children taunt them, they tend to respond violently by chasing the kids or hauling missiles at them. Some tend to proceed into long and incoherent tantrums – Talia (discussed below) falls into this category. Casa, also discussed below, tries the eye contact approach before approaching the “client” he wishes to beg for money from. Sha, or “madam sanitation” who takes shelter at night in front of a local government owned shopping centre (which is also