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. 5 2025
DOI: 10.56201/ijssmr.vol.11no5.2025.pg134.144

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Emotional Abuse, Self-Regulation and Psychological Health among Internally Displaced Persons in Benue State

Esther Msughter TyoverTion, Prof Elvis Oblu Ihaji

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Abstract

Internal displacement affects people mentally, socially and physically. In some cases, these displaced persons suffer different forms of abuses in the camps where they take refuge. Therefore, this study investigated emotional abuse, self-regulation and psychological health among internally displaced persons in Benue State. In this study, cross sectional method was used and Multi-Stage Sampling technique was adopted to draw 384 internally displaced persons in Benue State. Emotional Abuse Scale, Self-Regulation Questionnaire and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale were used for data collection. The result indicated that there was a significant influence of emotional abuse on psychological health among internally displaced persons. As for the dimensions, both direct abuse and covert abuse negatively predicted psychological health among internally displaced persons. The result also indicated that there was a significant influence of self-regulation on psychological health among internally displaced persons. In terms of the dimensions, the result indicated that the dimensions; Affect, Awareness, and Empowerment made significant positive contributions to psychological health among internally displaced persons. Lastly, the result indicated that there was a significant joint influence of emotional abuse and self- regulation on psychological health among internally displaced persons. It was recommended that the government of Benue State should set up secondary healthcare psychiatric facilities for internally displaced persons who are experiencing moderate to severe emotional abuse and psychological health challenges which should be free of charge. This initiative will augment the counselling support offered by NGOs in IDP camps which is just but an aspect of the minimum service package. It will also reduce the impact of the emotional abuse faced by internally displaced persons post displacement.

keywords:

Emotional Abuse, Self-Regulation, Psychological Health, Benue State

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