PTSD AND SELF-REGULATION AMONG INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN BENUE STATE

Abstract

Self-regulation is among the resiliency factors identified by most studies as a viablemechanism for managing traumatic events to achieve optimal psychosocial functioning andwellbeing. However, despite its relevance and the reported high rates of PTSD in InternallyDisplaced Persons (IDPs), including those in Benue state, studies examining the empirical linkbetween these important variables are lacking. This research examined the influence of PTSD onself-regulation and its dimensions among internally displaced persons in Benue State. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A total of 384 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) wererecruited from a population of 157,854 IDPs across four (4) local government areas of Benue state.A multi-stage sampling technique was employed, and the Raosoft online sample size calculatorwas used to determine the sample size. A standardised questionnaire containing measures ofdemographic variables, PTSD and Self-Regulation was administered to eligible participants.Multiple linear regression was utilised to analyse the research objective at the .05 level ofsignificance. Findings revealed a significant influence of PTSD on self-regulation, accounting for36.5% variance. Further results indicate that PTSD significantly and negatively impacted all thedimensions of self-discipline, impulse control, learning from mistakes and planning, with the tuneof 57.6%, 43.6%, 30.4% and 16.9% contribution. The result of this study implies that PTSD hassignificantly impacted IDPs’ self-regulation, specifically posing difficulties in self-discipline,rational decision-making and planning. Therefore, early PTSD assessment and psychosocialsupport for IDPs are recommended to build resilience and achieve effective societal integration.