Psychosocial Support Needs of Students with Disabilities in Post-Conflict Communities in Adamawa State

This study examines the psychosocial support needs of students with disabilities in post-conflict communities in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. Students with disabilities in conflict-affected contexts face a compounded vulnerability, as displacement, family loss, exposure to violence, and the disruption of educational and support systems interact with pre-existing disability to create heightened psychosocial risk. In Adamawa State, where communities are in various stages of post-conflict recovery, the psychosocial needs of disabled students enrolled in available schools are poorly understood and rarely addressed through specialised programming. Using a mixed-methods design, the study administers a Psychosocial Needs Assessment to one hundred and sixty students with disabilities in six schools across Mubi, Numan, and Yola, and conducts in-depth interviews with fifteen teachers and school counsellors. Quantitative data are analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data undergo thematic analysis. The study assesses the prevalence of trauma indicators, social connection, academic disengagement, and self-esteem among participants, and examines the limited support mechanisms currently in place. Findings are expected to confirm high levels of unmet psychosocial need and widespread absence of disability-sensitive trauma-informed support within schools. Recommendations include integrating disability-responsive psychosocial support into humanitarian education programming in Adamawa State and training teachers in basic trauma-informed practice. Keywords: psychosocial support, disability, post-conflict, Adamawa State, students.