Torty, Ogbonne and Iloanwusi, Vitalis Chinemerem (2025) HEALING CHILDHOOD TRAUMA THROUGH CREATIVE WRITING. Advance Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 8 (4). pp. 90-94. ISSN 6300-5290
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Abstract
This study investigates the role of creative writing, particularly poetry, as a therapeutic tool for emotional healing among children who have experienced trauma in secondary schools in Enugu State, Nigeria. Grounded in the theoretical framework of Narrative Therapy, the research explores how writing enables children to externalize trauma, construct positive identities, and find emotional relief. A quantitative survey design was adopted using a structured 15-item questionnaire distributed to 300 randomly selected students across five secondary schools, excluding JSS3 and SS3 students who had vacated. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation with a cut-off mark of 2.50 for interpretation. Findings revealed high levels of agreement on the healing benefits of creative writing with grand mean scores ranging from 2.83 to 2.87 across all research questions. Students reported feeling emotionally lighter, safer, and more resilient when engaging in poetry writing, especially when given space to express emotions they could not verbalize aloud. The study confirms that poetry offers a powerful outlet for symbolic storytelling, emotional regulation, and psychological support in trauma-sensitive classrooms. It further affirms the relevance of culturally responsive school-based writing interventions as accessible mental health strategies. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating poetry therapy into school counselling programs, training teachers as facilitators, and creating safe writing spaces that affirm students’ voices. Creative writing is affirmed not just as an expressive activity but as a low-cost high-impact method for promoting mental well-being and resilience in children recovering from trauma.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | L Education > L Education (General) |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Arts > Faculty of Law > Faculty of Management and Social Sciences > Faculty of Education |
| Depositing User: | mrs chioma hannah |
| Date Deposited: | 22 Jul 2025 14:24 |
| Last Modified: | 22 Jul 2025 14:24 |
| URI: | http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/4976 |
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