Background: At a global level the issue of forcible internal displacement appears to be somewhat growing. Most internally displaced persons in Nigeria are children and adolescents, but most of the existing literature and public debate focus on the experiences and outcomes of displaced adults. Objective: We set out to explore the adverse conditions that increase vulnerability to mental health problems, and the psychological symptoms and coping mechanisms reported by internally displaced adolescents. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, 15 adolescents recruited across three different displacement settlements were interviewed individually using a semi-structured interview format on their displacement experiences, and their adaptations to these experiences. Results: The thematic analysis showed that, in addition to experience of mental health problems, vulnerabilities and profound psychological symptoms for some, displacement constituted a complex life-changing process for all. High-risk coping strategies such as ‘seeking support by begging’ and ‘transactional sex for exchange of need were predominantly adopted by female participants. Some participants demonstrated resilience by engaging in religious behavioural coping, which they considered necessary to mitigate their past traumatic memories. Conclusion: Internally displaced adolescents’ experience of psychological symptoms and choice of coping mechanisms relate to their contextually perceived needs. Psychosocial support for these adolescents is recommended. Keywords: Internally displaced adolescents; mental health; psychological symptoms; coping; Boko-Haram.

Previous research has shown that gender affects social support and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). The present study explores the main and interaction effects of gender and place of settlement on social support, PTSD symptoms, and insomnia in internally displaced adolescents (IDAs) in North-east of Nigeria. A stratified sampling method was used to select 109 participants from IDAs living in the camp, while 27 additional IDAs were purposively recruited from those living in the host community. Participants completed measures of Harvard Trauma Questionnaire Part-II, Insomnia Severity Index, and Crisis Support. No significant effects of gender on perceived social support, PTSDs, and insomnia were observed. Place of settlement had a significant effect on social support, with IDAs living in the camp having a higher mean score, while place of settlement had no significant effects on PTSD and insomnia. A significant interaction effect of gender and place of settlements on insomnia was found, with males living in the community having a higher mean score than their female counterparts, as well as both males and females in the camp. In conclusion, there is a need to understand male IDAs who reside in non-camp settings better, including the nature of their challenges, the outcomes they desire, and the limitations they experienced.

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