Examining the Research Gap in Counselling Outcomes Research for Domestic Violence Survivors in Nigerian Communities

Domestic violence affects a substantial proportion of Nigerian women, yet the Nigerian-specific counselling outcomes research base for survivors is extremely limited, impeding evidence-based service development and professional practice standards. This study examined this research gap through systematic review and qualitative gap analysis. A systematic literature review was conducted, searching nine academic databases for publications from 2010 to 2024 reporting counselling intervention outcomes for domestic violence survivors in Nigeria or closely comparable sub-Saharan African contexts. Thirty-one eligible publications were identified, reviewed, and critically assessed for methodological quality, intervention type, population covered, and outcome measurement. Results showed that 67.7 percent of publications described service models or programme reports without quantitative outcome data. Only 9.7 percent employed randomised or quasi-experimental designs with control comparison groups. Trauma-focused CBT and supportive counselling were the most described intervention types, but neither had been rigorously evaluated in a Nigerian context. Geographic coverage was concentrated in South West and South East Nigeria, with no publications from North East or North West Nigerian contexts. Children witnessing domestic violence, rural survivor populations, and male survivors were consistently absent from the evidence base. The study identifies six methodological standards for conducting rigorous DV survivor counselling outcomes research in Nigeria and proposes a priority research framework. Recommendations include TETFUND funding priority for DV counselling outcomes research and coordination among Nigerian GBV response NGOs for collaborative evaluation.

Keywords: domestic violence counselling, outcomes research, research gap, Nigeria, GBV survivors