Impact of Conflict-induced Violence on the Mental Health and Psychological Coping Mechanisms of Children in Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to critically examine how trauma from violence affects the mental health of children and their psychological coping. The population of the study comprised of 212 primary and junior high school students drawn from 12 public schools in Ghana selected in three districts currently experiencing conflicts: Bawku municipality, Chereponi district, and Saboba district. The sample included 51 students from twelve selected schools in the Bawku Municipality, Chereponi District, and Saboba District. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study found that explosive violence primarily takes place in a conflict setting, making the psychological coping extremely pained as they are often compounded by poverty, hunger, withdrawal from school, fear of death and high rates of school absenteeism. Also, children are psychologically impacted by explosive violence through interpersonal exposure when they suffer trauma from the loss of a loved one to violence.

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Author Information
Peter Jabal, Salisbury University, United States
James Fox, Salisbury University, United States

• Category: Mind, Brain & Psychology: Human Emotional & Cognitive Development & Outcomes within Educational Contexts

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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