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Article History

Received: 5 July 2026

Accepted: 30 July 2026

First Online: 16 August 2026

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the Sierra Leone Ethics and Scientific Review Committee, approval reference number SLESRC/2023/047. The study was conducted in full accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and with specific attention to ethical standards for research involving children and adolescents. For participants aged 13–17, written informed assent was obtained from the adolescent participant and written informed consent was obtained from a parent or legal guardian prior to any data collection. For participants aged 18–19, written informed consent was obtained directly from the participant. All participants and guardians were fully informed of the purpose of the study, the voluntary nature of participation, the right to withdraw at any time without consequence, and the confidentiality measures in place to protect their personal information. Given the sensitive nature of the subject matter, additional safeguarding measures were implemented throughout data collection. A trained counsellor was present on-site at all data collection sessions. Participants who showed signs of acute distress during interviews or focus group discussions were offered immediate support and referral to available community-based services. Referral cards with local support contacts were provided to all adolescent participants at the end of each session. The participatory methods emotion mapping, personal timelines, and guided storytelling were designed to allow participants to share only what they chose, without pressure to disclose specific traumatic experiences. A youth advisory panel of five adolescents participated in the interpretation of findings, and their involvement was governed by the same ethical protocols.

Consent for publication: Not applicable.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.