Psychosocial Rehabilitation Outcomes for Survivors of Boko Haram Violence in North East Nigeria: A Social Work Analysis

The prolonged Boko Haram insurgency in North East Nigeria has generated an enormous caseload of conflict survivors requiring sustained psychosocial rehabilitation. This study analyses psychosocial rehabilitation outcomes for survivors of Boko Haram-related violence in Borno and Yobe States, evaluating the effectiveness of social work-mediated interventions. An analytical cross-sectional design is employed, combining a structured survey of 250 survivors across IDP and returnee settings with in-depth interviews of 25 rehabilitation programme staff. Quantitative data are analysed using multivariate regression, and qualitative data through thematic analysis. The study finds that survivors who received sustained social work case management, including a combination of trauma-focused counselling, social reconnection support, and economic reintegration assistance, demonstrate significantly better psychosocial functioning scores compared to those receiving single-component interventions. Female survivors, particularly those who experienced sexual violence, report the lowest rehabilitation outcomes and the greatest unmet service need. The study applies the IASC Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Framework to evaluate programme comprehensiveness and identifies critical gaps in community-level support structures. Recommendations include developing survivor-led support networks, training social workers in evidence-based trauma therapies, and establishing multi-year rehabilitation funding that supports long-term recovery beyond the acute emergency phase. Keywords: psychosocial rehabilitation, Boko Haram survivors, social work, North East Nigeria, trauma recovery