Perceived Social Support and Mental Health Outcomes Among Internally Displaced Persons in Maiduguri, Borno State

Internally displaced persons in North East Nigeria experience severe psychosocial stress arising from conflict-driven displacement, and the availability of perceived social support is recognised as a critical protective factor for mental health resilience in this population. This study examines the relationship between perceived social support and mental health outcomes among internally displaced persons in Maiduguri, Borno State. A cross-sectional survey design is applied to 220 adult displaced individuals residing in three IDP camps in Maiduguri, selected through systematic sampling. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the General Health Questionnaire-28 are administered in Hausa through trained research assistants. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical regression are computed in SPSS. Recent psychosocial literature from the North East IDP context identifies family support loss, community fragmentation, and social isolation as the primary social support deficits driving poor mental health outcomes in this population. Cobb's Social Support Theory and the Stress-Buffering Hypothesis provide the conceptual framework. Findings are expected to demonstrate significant negative associations between perceived support deficits and psychological distress, with gender and years of displacement moderating the relationship. Results will inform UNHCR and partner NGO psychosocial support programme design in Maiduguri camps. Keywords: social support, mental health, internally displaced persons, Maiduguri, Borno State.