This study investigated the prevalence of cognitive distortions among males exposed to war trauma in Zina, Bubanza diocese, Republic of Burundi. The study was guided by Aaron Beck’s Cognitive theory and adopted convergent mixed method research design. The objective that guided this study was to determine the prevalence of cognitive distortions among males exposed to war trauma in Zina, Bubanza diocese. The sample size was 83 males, sampled using purposive sampling method. The respondents comprised of 83 males who were exposed to war trauma from a target population of 106 persons. Six (6) of the respondents selected using purposive sampling out of the 83 males took part in face to face interview. The study used questionnaire and interview guide to collect data. The quantitative data were, analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics, presented in percentages and frequencies. Qualitative data were coded according to emerging themes following the research objective. Findings revealed that, two cognitive distortions namely fortune telling and mind reading were identified at 100% while 8 others including overgeneralization, magnification/minimization and should statement be detected at more than 90%. In conclusion, the there is a higher prevalence of cognitive distortions among males exposed to war trauma in Zina, which ranged from 65% to 100% with an average of 91.4%. The researcher recommends to political and religious authorities to intensify efforts for integrative formation and create enabling environment for Zina inhabitants to cater for their psychosocial health and needs that were unattended to by their families and help them to untwist their cognitive distortions through civic education and process of psycho-spiritual therapy and counseling interventions.

Key words: Cognitive distortions, male, exposure, war trauma