Impact of Insurgency on Parent-Child Relationship and Food Security among Internally Displaced Persons in Northeast Nigeria

This study examines the impact of insurgency on parent-child relationship and food security among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Northeast Nigeria. The study was guided by 4 objectives. The research design was a descriptive survey research design. Data was collected from 405 respondents across IDP camps in the three most affected states. The sample comprised primary caregivers and household heads (60.8% female, 39.2% male) with a mean age of 36.4 years, representing diverse displacement experiences and demographic. Structured questionnaires adapted from validated instruments including the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and the Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire (PCRQ). The study employed multivariate linear regression to examine the simultaneous effects of insurgency exposure on multiple outcome variables while controlling for demographic factors. Results indicate that insurgency exposure significantly weakens parent-child relationships marked by reduced communication patterns, diminished emotional bonding, and disrupted caregiving capacity. Higher insurgency exposure predicted lower parent-child relationship quality scores (â = -0.42, p < 0.01), with communication patterns showing particular vulnerability (â = -0.38, p < 0.01) and emotional bonds experiencing severe deterioration (â = -0.45, p < 0.01). Concurrently, insurgency intensifies household food insecurity by disrupting traditional livelihoods, limiting market access, and creating dependency on irregular humanitarian aid. Greater insurgency exposure significantly predicted higher food insecurity levels (â = -0.53, p < 0.01), while also demonstrating a strong negative relationship with parental caregiving capacity (â = -0.41, p < 0.01). The analysis revealed that food insecurity and compromised parent-child relationships create a cyclical pattern of vulnerability, where material deprivation undermines emotional availability, and weakened family bonds reduce children’s resilience to nutritional stressors. These findings underscore the interconnected nature of psychosocial and material well-being in conflict-affected populations. The findings have significant implications for policy and practice, suggesting that effective humanitarian programming must move beyond fragmented sectoral responses to embrace holistic, familycentered frameworks.