Beyond the shadows of trauma: exploring the synergy of emotional intelligence and distress disclosure in Nigerian adolescents’ trauma journey

Although adolescence is a critical period marked by increased vulnerability to trauma, the mechanisms underlying how adolescents cope with such experiences remain underexplored. This study is anchored in Hobfoll’s conservation of resources theory and Porges’ polyvagal theory, which together suggest that emotional intelligence and distress disclosure are critical resources for adolescents coping with trauma and investigated the interplay of distress disclosure in the relationship between emotional intelligence and trauma among secondary school adolescents. A three-wave longitudinal study was conducted with 491 adolescents enrolled in public secondary schools in Enugu State, Nigeria, selected using a two-stage cluster sampling technique. Emotional intelligence, distress disclosure, and trauma symptoms were assessed using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Scale, Distress Disclosure Index, and Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis, and mediation analysis were employed. The results indicated significant negative relationships between emotional intelligence, distress disclosure, and adolescent trauma. Furthermore, the mediation analysis revealed that distress disclosure partially mediated the relationship between the latter two. These findings have practical implications for designing interventions and support systems that foster emotional intelligence and promote distress disclosure among Nigerian adolescents and others exposed to trauma. Future research should explore additional protective factors to enhance the robustness and generalisability of the findings.