Impact of skill acquisition training on stress and anger levels of women exposed to violent conflicts in Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Women exposed to violent conflicts often experience severe psychological challenges, including anxiety, anger and poor general well-being. This study investigated the impact of skills acquisition training on anger and stress levels of women exposed to violent conflicts in Plateau State, Nigeria. The study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test and control group design. A total of 100 participants, comprising women in Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDPCs) in two Local Government Areas in Plateau State, were selected using a multi-stage sampling process. Participants were assigned to either a skills acquisition group or a control group. The study adopted the Anger Management Scale and a modified version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) to collect data. The null hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at a 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that the skills acquisition programme had a significant impact on reducing anger and stress levels among women affected by violent conflicts in Plateau State. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the government provide urgent assistance to women in IDPCs through skills acquisition training to ensure and sustain their improved psychological adjustments. This intervention can help mitigate the psychological challenges associated with violent conflicts and promote overall well-being among affected women.