The Impact of Conflict and Displacement in Relation to the Mental Health of Children Affected by Humanitarian Crises in northeast Nigeria – a Narrative Review

Abstract

The Boko Haram insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has destroyed and disrupted the lives of hundreds of thousands of children over the past two decades. The exposure to combat and long-term displacement has resulted in many negative physical and emotional impacts, including poor mental health. Despite multi-million dollar investments in interventions to support the children, many displaced children and adolescents are still struggling with mental health disorders and poor well-being. This narrative literature review examined how the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) sector responded to the children’s mental health and psychosocial needs, in order to identify interventions or factors that most effectively improved the perceived well-being of affected children and youth. The overall aim was to provide guidance to inform future interventions. This review used systematic steps to select and analyse twenty-one (21) pieces of grey and academic literature. Findings revealed that community-based, family-focused and school-based interventions proved effective in various conflict situations and worked best as a social support to stabilise the children emotionally and lessen the impact of circumstances surrounding the stressors of the conflict and displacement. The study also confirmed research that states that negative displacement experiences – such as being unable to attend school - and factors such as being separated from parents, can be main contributors to distress and mental health decline, sometimes even more than prior trauma experienced in war. Further studies on effective coping mechanisms among children and the potential influence of parental cultural attitudes toward mental health on child well- being are recommended.