Insurgency and armed conflict in Northern Nigeria especially Kano metropolis have exposed many secondary school students to trauma related experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is estimated that about 13,000 persons have been killed and about 981,416 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are living in the various camps in Northern Nigeria (NEMA, 2015). The profound impact of the trauma experienced by these students on their mental health informed the need for the psycho-education intervention. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of psycho-educational intervention on PTSD symptoms among secondary school students exposed to conflict in Kano metropolis and to examine the effects of psycho-education intervention in reduction of re-experiencing, hyper-arousal and avoidance symptoms. A pre-test and post-test control group design was adopted for this study. A sample of 40 research participants (male=19, female=21) were selected for the study. These research participants were drawn from secondary schools clustered within the community where conflicts have taken place. The instrument for data collection was the adapted version of the University of California at Los Angeles post-traumatic stress Disorder Reaction Index  (UCLA PTSD Reaction Index). The UCLA PTSD Reaction Index measured PTSD symptoms. Result obtained after testing the hypotheses showed that there was a significant difference in the PTSD mean scores of students exposed to psychoeducational intervention (Mean= 22.40, Standard deviation = 4.47, Standard error = .998) and those not exposed to the intervention (Mean = 38.90, Standard deviation = 14.835, Standard error = 3.317), t (38) = -4.763, p < .0001 (two-tailed), Effect size is r = .61. It is important to provide professional and psychosocial support to students who developed mental health problems due to exposure to conflict.

This study examines the relationship between prior trauma and post disaster psychological distress in a sample of college students exposed to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas in 2017. College students (n = 324) receive treatment for psychological problems at very low rates, so screening for the most vulnerable students after a disaster is important. While the relationship between prior trauma and post-disaster psychological distress is well established, the evidence for prior disaster exposure as a risk factor outside of other trauma is mixed. Prior trauma was divided into two cumulative risk style indicators: prior traumatic experiences (excluding disasters) and prior disaster exposure. In multiple linear regression models, prior traumatic experiences were significant predictors of post-disaster symptoms of both post-traumatic stress disorder and depression following the hurricane. Prior disaster exposures were not significant in either case. Implications for future screening and analysis of risk factors are discussed.

The emotional lives of teaching at the universities have remained under research.   This study used a qualitative approach to investigate the emotional lives of lecturers teaching at two selected universities. This study sought to identify, understand and interpret the emotional lives of teaching with interpretive phenomenology research design. In purposefully selected two universities, 12 lecturers participated in the study. Semi-structured individual interviews were employed, the data generated were interpreted, the emerged themes were: work condition, resources and accreditation panel, trade union and government disagreement, and experienced emotions and effects on participants. A further interpretation of the emerged themes revealed that the emotional lives of the participants are dependent on teaching resources, academic war and convenient behaviour. The dependence is thereby suggestive that change in the management of teaching resources, academic war and behaviour of lecturers could positively influence the nature of their emotional lives. The paper used two universities, which lays the foundation for subsequent studies because this is the first study to examine the emotional lives of teaching in Nigerian universities. The study made recommendations for further studies and drew implications for policy and practice.

Various investigations have applied meditation protocols in the school context, with beneficial effects. Transcendental meditation, however, received little attention in primary school settings and few controlled studies are available. The present study is aimed: 1) to investigate the implementation of a school protocol (Quiet Time-QT) based on Transcendental Meditation ™ in a primary school setting 2) to test its efficacy in promoting strengths and resilience in children, using a controlled research, with a cross over design. 92 students attending fourth and fifth class of a primary school were assigned to either the QT intervention, or to a waiting list condition. Children assigned to the waiting list received the QT protocol after few months. Before and after the intervention children were evaluated by their teachers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). A Repeated Measures MANOVA was applied to compare the two groups. After the QT intervention children in the experimental condition showed fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties (SDQ) compared to children in the waiting list. An overall positive effect of QT was observed in the total sample in improving children’s strengths and emotional well-being. Participants enjoyed the practice of meditation in the school setting. Conclusions: the results of this controlled investigation showed that the QT school protocol is feasible in the school setting, and it yielded improvements in children’s strengths and well-being. Meditation programs could be easily included in the educational system to sustain children positive development.