Counsellors’ Preparedness for Managing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Conflict-Affected Secondary School Students in Gombe State

Secondary school students in conflict-adjacent communities of North East Nigeria are exposed to sustained trauma stimuli that may precipitate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), placing significant demands on school counselling systems. This study assessed counsellors' preparedness for managing PTSD among conflict-affected secondary school students in Gombe State, North East Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was used, with 55 school counsellors from 18 secondary schools participating. The Counsellor PTSD Preparedness Inventory and a structured needs assessment questionnaire were administered. Data were analysed using means, frequencies, and t-tests. Findings revealed that most counsellors demonstrated limited theoretical knowledge of PTSD diagnostic criteria and were largely unprepared to implement evidence-based trauma interventions. The majority had not received any formal training in trauma-focused counselling techniques, and few schools had crisis response protocols in place. Counsellors from urban schools demonstrated slightly better knowledge of PTSD than their rural counterparts. The study concluded that there is a critical gap in trauma-responsive counselling capacity in Gombe State secondary schools. Recommendations included the inclusion of trauma counselling as a mandatory module in counsellor training programmes, the establishment of a state crisis counselling network, and the provision of ongoing supervision for counsellors working with trauma-exposed student populations. Keywords: PTSD, trauma counselling, conflict-affected students, Gombe State, counsellor preparedness.