Traumatic Experiences and Access to Trauma-informed Care Among Undergraduate Students: Evidence From Nigeria

Background: Students with traumatic incidents, such as kidnapping and sexual assault, have been adversely associated with their low grades despite the existence of units that provide trauma-informed care (TIC) in Nigerian universities. This means that trauma-informed services tailored toward undergraduate students are ineffective. This research explored students’ traumatic experiences and access to trauma-informed care in Nigerian universities. Methods: A phenomenological approach was adopted to investigate the lived experiences of students who have undergone trauma. A purposeful sampling method was used to select 15 participants from three universities. Data collection involved conducting in-depth, open-ended interviews with these participants via online platforms. The interview data were first transcribed. The transcripts were read, and initial and axial coding were done. Finally, thematic analysis was used to identify the patterns and relationships among coded data. Through this analytical process, three categories and eleven themes emerged. Results: The findings indicated that students encountered traumatic events, such as sexual abuse, bullying, and unfair punishment in academic environments; in addition, students experienced terrorism, kidnapping, ritual killings, and death in their communities. Students were disappointed with the services of the Students’ Affairs Department when facing trauma, such as sexual assaults or bullying, and often sought TIC from academic advisers and peers. Conclusion: This research emphasizes the traumatic experiences encountered by undergraduate students both at their universities and in their surrounding communities, along with their opportunities for accessing TIC services. This research recommends that the Student Affairs Department upgrade its services for traumatized students.