Psychological Assessment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Boko Haram Conflict Survivors: A Clinical Application Study in Adamawa State

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a major clinical concern among survivors of the Boko Haram conflict in North East Nigeria, and the accurate psychological assessment of PTSD using validated instruments in this population is a critical prerequisite for effective clinical intervention planning. This study examines the clinical application of PTSD assessment tools among conflict survivors in Adamawa State, evaluating the diagnostic accuracy, cultural fit, and clinical utility of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 in this population. A cross-sectional clinical assessment design is applied to 200 conflict survivors aged 18 to 65 years attending three community mental health sites in Yola and Mubi, selected through purposive sampling. Both instruments are administered in Fulfulde and Hausa through trained clinicians alongside a structured clinical interview as the criterion standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis are performed. Available trauma assessment literature from North East Nigeria identifies the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire as more culturally attuned to conflict-related trauma narratives, while the PCL-5 demonstrates superior psychometric properties in standardised validation samples. The Cognitive Processing Model of PTSD provides the conceptual framework. Findings will guide clinical psychologists and counsellors in instrument selection for PTSD assessment in conflict-affected populations in Adamawa State. Keywords: PTSD assessment, conflict survivors, Boko Haram, Adamawa State, clinical psychology.