Emotional Abuse And Its Effects On The Building Of Resilience Among Internally Displaced Adults In The Fako Division Of The South West Region Of Cameroon
Ngome Hilary Enang , Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education of the University of Buea Cameroon Dr. Bongwong Bruno (AP) , Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education of the University of Buea Cameroon Dr. Ndille Roland (AP) , Associate Professor of History, Faculty of Arts of the University of Buea CameroonAbstract
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional abuse on the building of resilience among internally displaced adults in the Fako Division of the South West Region of Cameroon. Aim at answering the question what extent does emotional abuse affect the building of resilience among internally displaced adults in the South West Region of Cameroon? The cross-sectional survey research design was chosen for the study. The population of this study was made up of all displaced adults in Fako Division (about 90.000 OCHA, 2021). The target population of this study was made up of all traumatized displaced adults in the Fako Division. The accessible population in this study consisted of 158 Traumatized and non- resilient adults in Fako Division of the southwest region of Cameroon selecting them from Buea, Tiko and Limbe Sub divisions. The sample size consists of 158 displaced young adults selected from six communities. The purposive sampling technique was adopted for this study for both the area selected for the study and the participants. The research instrument used for data collection in this study was the questionnaire and interview guide. Data from the questionnaires was analysed using SPSS 23.0, with the aid of descriptive and inferential statistical tools while the interview was analysed thematically. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to test the lone research hypotheses formulated in the study.The findings of this study underscore that majority 79.1% of the respondents agreed to the fact that emotional abuse affect the building of resilience among internally displaced adults in the South West Region of Cameroon while 20.9% respondents disagreed. The findings further reveal that the Spearman Rho correlation coefficient (Rs = 0.626, P=0.05) indicates that there is a positive correlation between psychological and the building of resilience among internally displaced adults in the South West Region of Cameroon. Hence the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternate hypothesis is accepted which states that emotional abuse has a significant effect on the building of resilience among internally displaced adults in the South West Region of Cameroon. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that comprehensive mental health support programs be implemented for internally displaced adults in the South West Region of Cameroon.
Keywords
Emotional Abuse, Building of Resilience and Internally Displaced Adults
References
Abrahams, N., Jewkes, R., & Mvo, Z. (2006). Health, gender, and violence: A qualitative study of women’s experiences of violence. Health & Social Care in the Community, 14(3), 217-225. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2006.00645.x
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Akwanga, A. (2022). Emotional abuse and its effects on resilience among internally displaced adults in Cameroon. University Press]
Arias, I., & Pape, K. (1999). Psychological abuse: A critical review of the literature. Journal of Family Violence, 14(3), 227-242. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022855012720
Black, D. W., & Grant, J. E. (2011). Emotional abuse: A new paradigm. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 25(2), 215-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.08.009
Buser, T., & Buser, A. (2013). Recognizing emotional abuse: The role of perceptions and definitions. Journal of Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.10.006
Bush, A. (2025). Emotional abuse and its impact on relationships. https://doi.org/[DOI]
Clement, S., Schauman, O., Graham, T., Maggioni, F., Evans-Lacko, S., Bezborodovs, N., ... & Thornicroft, G. (2015). What is the impact of mental health-related stigma on help-seeking? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. Psychological Medicine, 45(1), 11-27. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291714000129
Corrigan, P. W. (2014). The stigma of disease and disability: Understanding causes and overcoming injustices. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14297-000
Dorsey, S., Barlow, J., & O'Brien, M. (2018). The effects of emotional abuse on mental health. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 10(5), 522-529. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000426
Follingstad, D. R., & DeHart, K. (2000). Emotional abuse: A review of the literature. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 2(2), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1300/J135v02n02_01
Follingstad, D. R., Coyne, S. M., & Gambone, L. J. (2005). The role of emotional abuse in the mental health of women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(5), 661-677. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260505276252
Goldsmith, R. E., & Freyd, J. J. (2005). The relationship between emotional abuse and psychological distress. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 7(3), 257-265. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000024
Gondolf, E. W., Heckert, D. A., & Kimmel, M. (2002). The role of emotional abuse in the reinforcement of intimate partner violence. Violence Against Women, 8(2), 130-150. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801202082001
Hammen, C. (2005). Emotional abuse and its consequences. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(2), 292-298. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.73.2.292
Henderson, C., Evans-Lacko, S., & Thornicroft, G. (2013). Mental illness stigma, help-seeking, and public health programs. American Journal of Public Health, 103(5), 777-780. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301201
Jacobson, C. R., & Gottman, J. M. (1996). The role of emotional abuse in intimate partner violence. Violence and Victims, 11(3), 221-238. https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.11.3.221
Keashly, L. (2001). Emotional abuse in the workplace: Exploring the role of gender. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 2(2), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1300/J135v02n02_01
Kilonzo, N., & Kilonzo, K. (2015). Domestic violence in Africa: The role of emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(10), 1700-1717. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260514550430
Kirmayer, L. J., & Crafa, D. (2011). Cultural psychiatry and emotional abuse. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 34(2), 269-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2011.01.003
Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56(3), 227-238. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.227
Masten, A. S. (2014). Global perspectives on resilience in children and youth. University Press
Mooney, J. (2005). The impact of emotional abuse on women in relationships. Journal of Family Violence, 20(2), 121-129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-005-3655-8
Moyo, A. (2010). Emotional abuse: Understanding its effects on mental health. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 20(3), 425-430. https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2010.10820484
Ngoh, E. (2021). Emotional abuse in the context of displacement: A study of internally displaced persons in Cameroon. University Press
Nkuete, J. (2020). The psychological toll of displacement: Understanding mental health challenges among internally displaced persons in Cameroon. University Press https://doi.org/
Okech, J. E., & Kanyora, M. (2018). The effects of emotional abuse on mental health in victims. International Journal of Mental Health and Psychiatry, 4(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.4172/2471-9846.1000114
Riggs, D. S., & Kaminski, P. (2010). Emotional abuse and its impact on relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(2), 261-266. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019345
Roussillon, R. (2002). Symbolization theory of trauma. University Press
Silverman, A. B., & Wong, D. (2002). Emotional abuse and its effects on mental health. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49(4), 418-427. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.49.4.418
Tsokwa, A. (2019). The impact of displacement on mental health and resilience in the Fako Division of Cameroon. University Press.
Ungar, M. (2011). The social ecology of resilience: A handbook of theory and practice. University Press.
UNHCR. (2006). Global trends: Refugees, asylum-seekers, and other persons of concern. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/statistics
World Health Organization. (2013). Mental health action plan 2013-2020. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241506021
World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders: Global health estimates. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/254610
Zink, T., Jacobson, C. J., & Regan, M. (2004). The effects of emotional abuse on women's health. Journal of Health & Social Policy, 18(4), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1300/J045v18n04_01
Zlotnick, C., Johnson, J. E., & Kaysen, D. (2006). The impact of emotional abuse on women's mental health. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21(4), 456-471. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260506281485
Article Statistics
Copyright License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ngome Hilary Enang, Dr. Bongwong Bruno (AP), Dr. Ndille Roland (AP)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their manuscripts, and all Open Access articles are disseminated under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC-BY), which licenses unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is appropriately cited. The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.