Relationship Between Stress and Psychosocial Adjustment Among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in North-Western, Nigeria

Internally displaced person in the north west zone Nigeria faces numerous challenges of mental health due to lack of adequate attention by the authority concern, which expose them to mental health problem. This study examined the relationship between stress and psychosocial adjustment among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in North-Western Nigeria. The study was guided by two objectives, two research questions and two hypothesis which were all in line with the research objectives; the relationship between stress and emotional component of psychosocial adjustment and the relationship between stress and self-concept component of psychosocial adjustment among internally displaced persons in North-western Nigeria. IDPs face hardships due to armed banditry, conflicts, and displacement, leading to psychological distress and impaired psychosocial adjustment. A sample of 364 respondents was selected from a population of 6,598 IDPs using the Raosoft sample size calculator. Participants were IDPs who exhibited symptoms of stress based on the Perceived Stress Scale criteria. Validated instruments were employed for data collection. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) was used to measure stress levels among respondents. A Psychosocial Adjustment Scale was adapted to measure the two components of psychosocial adjustment: emotional and self-concept components. The reliability indices for the instruments were established through appropriate psychometric procedures, ensuring internal consistency and stability of measurements. The reliability coefficients confirmed that the instrument was suitable for assessing the constructs among the IDP population in North-Western Nigeria. All instruments demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's alpha: PSS-10 = 0.83; Psychosocial Adjustment Scale = 0.82). The study established a Kappa Validity Index (KVI) = 0.86 and that of reliability Indices (Cronbach's Alpha). A correlational research design was adopted to investigate the relationship between stress and psychosocial adjustment. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) statistics at a 0.05 alpha level of significance. Results showed high stress levels (Mean = 28.12, SD = 5.89) and low psychosocial adjustment (Mean = 40.15, SD = 6.30). Significant negative correlations were found between stress and emotional component (r = -0.507, p < 0.01) and self-concept component (r = -0.482, p < 0.01). The study concludes that IDPs in North-Western Nigeria experience high stress levels, negatively impacting their psychosocial adjustment. Recommendations include establishing mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) in IDP camps and formulating a national policy on mental health in emergencies to mitigate stress impacts and foster resilience.