Association Between Purpose in Life, Depression and Anxiety Among Youth During the Covid 19 Pandemic in Kibra Constituency, Nairobi County
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Date
2022-09-11
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
Low levels of purpose in life are leading causes of depression and anxiety among the youth during
covid-19 pandemic in Kenya since March 2019. This study analysed the association between
purpose in life, depression, and anxiety in the period 2019-2021. The study collected primary data
from a sample of 380 youth in Kibra Constituency, Nairobi County. The sample size per ward was
arrived at through proportionate sampling technique. The study used Purpose in Life Test to
measure levels of purpose in life and the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale to
assess the level of depression and anxiety. Both descriptive and inferential analysis were carried
out using SPSS. The finding showed that participants had 89.3% low, 4.0% moderate, 6.7 severe
anxiety while, on the hand, 53.6% had severe, 11.7% moderate, 34.7% mild depression. The
finding also showed that Female were more depressed at 36.8% than male 28.5%. Furthermore,
the study found that respondents had 77.1% low levels and 22.9% high levels of purpose in life.
Depression and anxiety combined the participants had 60.8% low, 25.1% moderate and 14.1%
severe. The outcome of this study recommends that the Ministries of Education and Health need
to initiate policies on mental health intervention as mandatory for Kenyan urban slums to counter
the negative influence on psychological health. The findings from this study can be useful to
psychologists, psychotherapists and counselors to create more awareness of purpose in life among
the youth.
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Association Between Purpose in Life, Depression and Anxiety Among Youth During the Covid 19 Pandemic in Kibra Constituency, Nairobi County