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Abstract
This paper examines trajectory of psychotherapy in Africa. It touches on the meaning of psychotherapy, types, as well as goals and relevance of psychotherapy. The key factors is with greater emphasis in psychotherapy where in Africa certain set-backs and challenges have been heavily represented with terrorism leading to posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) from kidnapping down to Boko-Harram and Fulani herdsmen violence that undermine security and national development. Sequel to this, economic recession and anxiety of the mass is another cancerous triggered to corruption which clinicians identify today as a major set-back in African socioeconomic and political development. Other issues facing the clinicians and students of psychotherapy with the service users are lack of keeping clinical records for data purposes, problems of referrals, poor accessibility to clinical resources and team relationships. The objective of this paper is to discuss in-depths these African issues and a way of advancing psychotherapy in Africa to a lofty heights. Proffering solutions could be identify through extensive training, entrepreneurship model, and also using continuation of professional development (CPD) to generate learning from the existing challenges in Africa through conferences, seminars and workshops. Unfortunately some clinicians in the society lack the zeal of pursuing CPD model of knowledge and experience as they find it difficult not only to engage with others but to come together and work as a team. Training is always a major reflection in working relationship in group practice to make relevance the dynamism required of psychotherapy. Importantly, using working groups formula (WDEP) that is focused in African way on client centred approach will serve as another panacea aimed at understanding clients (patients) in the group processes, while taken cognisance people’s real life situations, to guard against some risks that may jeopardize group in psychotherapy. It is therefore recommended that those practising psychotherapy in African setting should bear in mind the relevance of clinical practice as evidence based and good quality of care in the art of psychotherapy.
(A key note speech presented at the Forth Conference of the World Council for Psychotherapy African Chapter, at School of Psychotherapy and Health Sciences, Okija, Anambra State, Nigeria, 2019)
Author:
Adolphus Ikechukwu Ezeakor
Department of Psychology
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Nigeria
The Nigerian Armed Forces involved in military operations against Boko Haram insurgency
and terrorism in the North East, Nigeria have not developed formalized strategies aimed at
promoting the mental health and well-being of its personnel and their families.
Unfortunately, protracted exposure to insurgency attacks and the military counter actions
undertaken to contain these attacks have placed great stresses on the military personnel and
their families who have already been challenged by the frequent deployments and absences
of their spouses from home. These stresses are often presented in the form of social and
emotional problems amongst children at home and in school. The wives of service personnel
on the other hand are most vulnerable to depression and other psychological consequences
of insurgency attacks as they take on more family responsibilities due to the death or
physical and psychological incapacitation of their husbands. The personnel on their part
face other physical and mental health issues such as traumatic experiences, physical injuries,
depression, aggression, etc. Despite all these issues, the Nigerian Armed Forces have not put
in place measures to ensure the provision of psychotherapeutic treatment thereby building
and strengthening resilience for the personnel and their families. Psychotherapeutic
interventions which concentrate on changing the ideologies of individuals, helping them
resolve psychological issues and rehabilitation will ensure sound mental health and wellbeing
for the military personnel and their families. It is in this regard that the study examined
psychotherapy in the Nigerian Armed Forces for the purpose of developing resilience
strategies among military personnel and their families
Author:
Philemon A. Agashua,
Department of Psychology,
Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna
Abstract
Objective: Experiences of traumatic exposure of trafficked victims keep tormenting them after they are rescued. Trafficked victims at rehabilitation centers of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) at Southern Zones have been found to present with posttraumatic stress disorder. This finding made it necessary that improving their mental health should include efforts to identify factors likely to predispose, maintain, or perpetuate PTSD presentation among trafficked victims. Current study thereby examined posttraumatic stress disorder among trafficked
victims: the role of self-esteem and demographic factors.
Method: 55 participants
selected through total population sampling technique from the rehabilitation centers of NAPTIP in their South-East, South-South, and South-West zonal offices, participated. Their age ranged between 14 to 25 years, with a mean age of 19.89 and a standard deviation of 2.87. The instruments administered on them were Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Keane Scale (PKS) (Keane, Malloy & Fairbanks, 1984) and Index of Self –Esteem (ISE) (Hudson, 1982). Mental State Examination of some of the clients was also done. The study used ex-post-facto design and Independent t-test was used to test the hypotheses.
Result: This revealed that hypotheses two to seven on demographic factors were rejected. It also showed that only hypothesis one on self-esteem was accepted, t(53)=-3.26, p <.05. Conclusion:
The relevance of psychotherapy will establish the linkage through trafficked victims at rehabilitation centers of NAPTIP in her zonal offices in the southern parts of Nigeria, and determine self-esteem factor likely to
influence PTSD presentation.
There is no exact word for psychotherapy in many Nigerian languages, numbering over 250.
But equivalent words exist for expression such as counselling and cognitive behaviour
therapy. The practice of these arts predated the advent of the Europeans. When modern
psychology arrived in our shores, we naturally adopted the Euro-American models of
psychotherapy. All that makes psychotherapy necessary can be found in our country: trauma
due to child abuse, and neglect, abuse of human dignity, tribal wars, political conflict,
poverty, migration and stress-provoking lifestyles, among others. The Aro village system
developed by Lambo is an attestation to the usefulness of some of our native approaches and
to the efficacy of social support that is inherent in the African traditional system. The
introduction of a bilingual group psychotherapy at Aro in the early 1990 was a natural
follow-up to this development. Group therapy is the most popular form of psychotherapy as it
is practised in most teaching hospitals and psychiatric establishments. Meseron therapy and
harmony restoration therapy are the two foremost indigenous approaches to psychotherapy
in Nigeria. Meseron therapy is cognitive-behavioural in orientation while harmony
restoration therapy is existential-phenomenological. Other therapies commonly taught and
practised include: Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy; Cognitive Behaviour Therapy;
Behaviour Therapy; The Psychodynamic Therapies, etc. Modern psychotherapy services are
available in private clinics/consultations, schools, hospitals and medical centres. The
services are offered by a wide variety of professionals ranging from clinical psychologists
and psychiatrist, to social workers, nurses and pastors. At present, focused training in
psychotherapy is inadequate, in spite of the efforts by the universities and the Nigerian
Association of Clinical Psychologists. This is an important lacuna that the School of
Psychotherapy and Health Sciences, Okija, has come to fill.
Alfred Awaritefe
Department of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
College of Medical Sciences,
University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
Email: alfawa2000@gmail.com
Abstract
This study examined the effect of Logotherapy on the academic stress of Senior Secondary School students. An experimental design using purposive and random sampling methods were used to conduct the study. The sample population consists of one hundred and twenty (120) Senior Secondary School students of OCAC College, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria. The research instrument; a self-developed and validated inventory (Academic Stress Inventory-ASI) was administered and students’ scores determined their assigned group before and after the therapy. The data for the study were analysed using t-test and one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The result of the data analysis revealed that Logotherapy was effective in reducing the academic stress of Senior Secondary School students without the interference of gender, religion and course of study. Based on the findings, it is evident that psychotherapeutic services in Schools are beneficial.