Background: There is paucity of research about how previously internally displaced people in post-conflict Uganda cope amidst adversity and trauma. Understanding factors that underlie coping amidst such adversity is vital in identifying resilience and health promoting behaviors.

Methods: We conducted 8 FGDs in 4 sub-counties in Uganda between March and May 2009. We tape-recorded and transcribed the data. We used thematic analysis to manage, analyze and interpret the data. We constantly identified and compared themes and sub-themes in the dataset as we read the transcripts.

Results: Life adversity experienced following exposure to conflict included loss of life, livelihood, and traumatization. Complications associated with adversity were self-doubt, worries, inclination to crime, fatalism, vengefulness, and alcohol abuse. Adaptive coping approaches to adversity included re-skilling, religiosity, counseling, comfort in sexual intimacy and joining therapeutic groups. Maladaptive coping strategies were reflected in apprehension, uncertainty, suspiciousness and learned helplessness. Consequences of maladaptive coping took the form of promiscuity, disrespect of authority, disrupted education, famine and domestic violence. The resilient were people who were prayerful and the socially supported.

Conclusions: There is need to sustainably engage in reestablishment of social capital, empowerment and cultivation of self-belief. Any post-conflict reconstruction should take cognizance of the adaptive coping mechanisms and people’s resilience. Strengthening locally prevailing community-sanctioned support systems like family ties, friendships, religious faiths rather than routine psychiatric services seem to be more relevant initial responses to trauma in a post-conflict setting. Any attempts at relief should focus on strengthening of therapeutic self-help groups.