Positive experience, psychological functioning, and hope for the future as factors associated with mental health among young Sub-Saharan internally displaced people (IDP): A quantitative pilot study

Abstract

Following a socio-ecological approach focused on multidimensional aspects of psychological functioning, this pilot study investigated the relationship between subjective well-being across different domains (e.g., positive experience, social relations, human insecurity, negative experience, self-competence, hope for the future) and psychological distress, in a sample (n = 225) of internally displaced (internally displaced people, IDPs) adolescents hosted in refugee camps in Niger. The Subjective Well-Being Assessment Scale and General Health Questionnaire-12 were administered to the sample by trained interviewers. Participants displayed a low level of psychological distress despite the multiple traumatic experiences they had faced and ongoing stressful conditions at the host camps. Positive experience was found to act as an effective protection factor, enhancing psychological functioning, and mitigating psychological distress. A preserved sense of self-competence and hope for the future were confirmed to play a key role in protecting adolescents from the effects of psychological distress. Youths seem to maintain positive psychological functioning when subjective well-being and other personal and relational resources are active as protection factors.