Assessment of Psychosocial Problems of Internally Displaced Women in Guma IDPs Camps of Benue State, Nigeria: Implications for Counselling

The issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has become of global concern, and it is assuming an alarming rate in many parts of the world. The problem is becoming more worrisome in Nigeria as the number of internally displaced persons keeps skyrocketing every day. Internal displacement in Nigeria is due to upsurge of political violence, insurgency, communal clashes, militancy, religious unrests, and most recently farmers and herders’ clashes. This study assessed the psychosocial problems of internally displaced women in IDPs camps in Guma LGA of Benue State, Nigeria and the implications for counselling. The study was guided by two specific objectives. Two research questions were raised and answered in the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised 2,739 women in internally displaced camps in Guma LGA of Benue State. The sample size used for the study was 117 respondents. The sampling technique adopted for the study was accidental sampling technique. A structured questionnaire titled “Psychosocial Problems of Internally Displaced Women†was developed by the researcher and was used as instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was duly validated by two experts in Guidance and Counselling and also an expert in the field of Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was tested using Cronbach’s alpha method and it yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.878. Data for the study was collected with a face to face administration of copies of the instrument to the respondents with the aid of three trained research assistants who visited the IDPs camps. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. From the data analyzed, the study found that internally displaced women in Guma IDP Camps of Benue state are engulfed with a lot of psychological problems like trauma, stress, neglects, anxiety and depression among others. The study also found that lack of food, fear, loneliness; feelings of shame and stigmatization among others are the sociological problems that the IDP women in Guma camps are experiencing. In view of the findings, it was therefore recommended that Government at all levels, Non-Governmental Organizations and Individuals should play proactive roles in attending to the problems identified in this study such as trauma, stress, loneliness, feelings of neglect and lack of food among others.