Children’s Play as a Predictor of the Psychosocial Adjustment of Pupils with Conflict-related Traumatic Experiences in Buea Municipality, Cameroon
Keywords:
Children’s play, pupils, traumatic experiences, psychosocial AdjustmentAbstract
This study was carried out to investigate children’s play as a predictor of psychosocial adjustment of pupils with conflict-related traumatic experiences in Buea Sub Division, Cameroon. Specifically, the study sought to find out the degree to which children’s play is a predictor of psychosocial adjustment of pupils with conflict-related traumatic experiences. The Quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study, with the Pre-test-Post-test design specifically used. The sample for the study was made up of 16 pupils in a primary school in Buea Sub Division, Cameroon with conflict-related traumatic experiences as a result of the on-going armed conflict in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon and 15 teachers. Data was collected using a questionnaire, focus group discussions and observation checklist for pupils and an interview guide for teachers. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The descriptive statistical tools used are percentages, mean, T-test and standard deviation. The qualitative data derived from the observation, focus group discussion with pupils and interview with teachers was analysed using thematic analysis. The hypothesis was tested using the T-test. The results showed that children exposure to play significantly predicts their psychosocial adjustment (t-test value 24.740, p-value < 0.001). This implied that psychosocial adjustment of pupils with conflict-related traumatic life experiences is more likely to be high when there are exposed to children’s play. The study recommended that school children with conflict-related traumatic experiences should be exposed to play activities which will help to enhance their psychosocial adjustment.
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