Masters Of Arts In Counseling Psychology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.168.4.170:4000/handle/20.500.12342/404

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End date: 2019Has files: Yes

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    Association between Religiosity and Psychological Wellbeing Mediated by Religious Commitment among Members of Catholic Religious Orders in Nairobi County
    (Tangaza University College, 2018-08) Kaivu, Winfred
    Religiosity and Psychological Wellbeing have been widely researched in scientific studies. However, there is limitation of research between intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity and psychological wellbeing mediated by religious commitment among Members of Catholic Religious Orders in Nairobi, Kenya. Therefore, the present study analyzed the association between religiosity and psychological wellbeing mediated by religious commitment in a sample of 282 members of Catholic Religious Orders in Nairobi, aged between 25-60 years. New Indices of Religious Orientation Revised (NIROR), Religious Commitment Inventory and Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing Scales were used to this aim. A causal comparative, cross-sectional study design was used to explore the effects of variables in a non-experimental setting. To achieve the objectives, descriptive analysis, simple linear regression, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Pearson’s correlation were used to analyze the data. In addition, the study examined the impact of demographic variables of age, gender, level of education and years of religious profession on Psychological Wellbeing of members of Catholic Religious Orders. The study revealed that years in the Catholic Religious Order played an important role in influencing the relationship between Religiosity and Psychological Wellbeing. Participants in Catholic Religious Orders who had over 10 years had better Psychological Wellbeing than those who had been in the Catholic Religious Order for less than 10 years. The results of Pearson’s correlation showed positive significant association between intrinsic religiosity and psychological wellbeing and negative significant association between extrinsic religiosity and psychological wellbeing. The study also found out that religious commitment had significant influence to the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and psychological wellbeing but no significant influence on the relationship between extrinsic religiosity and psychological wellbeing. This means that members of Catholic Religious Orders with intrinsic religious orientation had significantly reduced psychological wellbeing compared those who had extrinsic religious orientation when exposed to much religious commitment. Lastly, to explore how members of Catholic Religious Orders could improve their religious commitment and psychological wellbeing, 3 focus groups consisting 8 participants each were conducted. The qualitative study showed that in order to promote psychological wellbeing, the leaders of Catholic Religious Orders have to come up with formative programs which can help the members to become intrinsically oriented for the sake of those who may be struggling with low psychological wellbeing.
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    Association between Work Engagement and Dimensions of Burnout among Catholic Priests in Durban Metro, South Africa
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-09) Phoseka, Vukani Johannes
    The present study focused on the association between work engagement and burnout. Previous studies suggest that work engagement and burnout have a negative correlation. This implies that they cannot exist in an individual at the same time. Whereas most of the research on the association between work engagement and burnout has been done in other parts of the globe, little has been done in the African context and has focused on other populations apart from priests. In this light, the study sought to examine the association between work engagement and dimensions of burnout among Catholic priests in Durban Metro, South Africa. Despite the fact that priests in this context seem to manifest a certain commitment and satisfaction in their work, they also seem to be overwhelmed by its demands. A mixed method design was used and data collected from 191 priests. Findings revealed significant levels of both work engagement and dimensions of burnout which implies that they experience both burnout and work engagement concurrently. The study serves to sensetise priests on the fact that the positive experience of work engagement can be compromised by the negative experience of burnout, and consequently lead to negative implications on their ministry. Persons who have direct and indirect relation with priests, such as Bishops and religious superiors as well as the beneficiaries of priestly service, can learn from the study that priests are human beings who need both moral and material support in order to sustain a positive experience of work.
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    Association between Self-Esteem and Happiness among Tangaza University College Student: A Comparative Study between the Lay and Religious
    (Tangaza University College, 2018-09) Kariuki, Rosemary N.
    The study explored self-esteem and happiness among the students from Tangaza University College Nairobi-Kenya. The study adopted a quantitative method, and used a crosssectional design. It targeted Religious and lay students in Tangaza University College. A systematic random sampling technique was used and a sample size of 298 students was gotten for the study. The Rosenberg Self-worth Scale, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire by Hills and Argyle were the instruments of measure used to collect data. The data collected was cleaned, coded and analyzed using descriptive analysis and inferential analysis (Cronbach’s α, Pearson’s r, regression, t-test and ANOVA) with the statistical package for social sciences version 21. The results of the study showed that there are high levels of self-worth and happiness among the respondents. Demographic variables such as gender, age, educational level and religious background had no influence on self-worth and happiness among the participants. However, residential location had an effect on happiness of the participants. Religious students had higher scores in self-worth and happiness compared to their lay counterparts with t(296) = -3.171, p = .002, less than (p < .05) on self-worth and t(296) = -2.096, p = .037, on happiness. Lastly, the study shows that selfworth is not associated with happiness with Pearson’s r = .061, and p=.298). The importance of the study findings and limitations were discussed and suggestions for future research and the application of the findings of this study into the life of the target group for better self-worth and happiness.
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    Psychosocial Experiences Influencing Coping Mechanisms among Caregivers of Children with Severe Intellectual Disabilities in Special Schools of Jinja District, Uganda
    (Tangaza University College, 2018-10) Gratia, Nekesa Matilda
    With about seven billion total world population, there are almost one billion people having disabilities. Children constitute 200 million of those with disabilities. Of the 200 million children with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries most of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Taking care of children with severe intellectual disabilities is a very taxing experience for caregivers in Uganda. However, insight into caregivers’ individual experiences is scarce to guide effective responses to their care needs. This study therefore explored the psychosocial experiences influencing coping mechanisms among caregivers of children with severe intellectual disabilities in Jinja district, Uganda. The study aimed at examining the psychosocial experiences, establishing the coping mechanisms and assessing the psychosocial support for caregivers. Although from the literature there are numerous studies conducted on psychosocial experiences and coping mechanisms among caregivers, most of them have been conducted in America, Europe and Asia. Uganda, one of the African countries south of the Sahara, with the greater percentage of children living with disabilities, has had sparse studies exploring psychosocial experiences influencing coping mechanisms among caregivers. The study was informed by two theories: the stress-coping theory by Lazarus and Folkman, and the selfdetermination theory by Deci and Ryan. A qualitative phenomenological research design was employed. The study used purposive sampling to select the participants. The target population of this study was 170. A sample of 20 participants was recruited for the study. The research instruments used were interview and focus group discussion schedules. The study employed thematic data analysis. The researcher conducted a pilot study with 2 participants who were not part of the study to guarantee the reliability of the instruments. The findings of this study indicated that caring for children with severe intellectual disabilities is beset with many negative psychosocial experiences and a general lack of psychosocial support for caregivers by the community or government. Therefore, this study recommends that caregivers of children with severe intellectual disabilities be supported socially, psychologically and emotionally for their better nurturing of such children. This study offers significant information for policy and research, and works as a guide in developing intervention programs for caregivers of children with severe intellectual disabilities by various stakeholders.
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    Relationship between Harmful Alcohol Use and Low Self-esteem among Emerging Adults Employees in Kathonzweni Location, Makueni County
    (Tangaza University College, 2018-09) Mule, Peter Dominic Makau
    Although Harmful Alcohol Use (HAU) exposes emerging adults to psychological challenges like low self-esteem (LSE), limited studies have been done in Kenya to explore the association between HAU and low LSE in Kathonzweni, Makueni County. The main objective was to explore the association between harmful alcohol use and LSE, with specific objectives being: to determine demographics features related to harmful alcohol use, prevalence of harmful alcohol use and low self-esteem among emerging adults. The study used cross-sectional research design which measure sample features once. Study sites were identified schools in Kathonzweni Location, Makueni County. The schools were purposely chosen. Selection of 199 respondents aged 19 to 29 years was done using convenient sampling which chose participants who were accessible. Statistical package for social sciences was used to analyse the collected data and presented in summary tables. Pearson‘s (r) coefficient was used to test association of harmful alcohol use and low self-esteem among the emerging adults. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics to show general view of Kathonzweni Location, Makueni County emerging adults. Description was done to establish demographics associated with harmful alcohol use, the prevalence of alcohol use was (3.5%) while that of low self-esteem was (32.2%). The study found that there is an association between harmful alcohol use and low self-esteem (p=0.02). Demographic variables associated with HAU and LSE were: age of 19-24years (p=0.05), male gender (P=0.01), married people (P=0.03), family socialization (p=0.01), time spend in social media between 6-12 hours (p=0.02), economic status below ten thousand per month (p=0.01) and age of alcohol first use (p=0.00). Therefore, Kathonzweni counsellors together with community leaders and policy makers need to plan guidelines to help emerging adults manage HAU and improve LSE.
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    Exploration of Discordant Couples Challenges and Coping Mechanisms: A Case of Rural Kiambu County, Kenya
    (2018-08) Gacheru, Mary Wanjiku
    Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a health challenge to many nations. Different patterns of HIV infections have emerged where there are couples living together but have different HIV status, one partner is HIV positive while the other one is negative. Discordance can cause challenges in a couple relationship. HIV discordance is poorly understood among couples and the existing literature has not sufficiently addressed the challenges and coping mechanisms in the rural Kenyan context. Therefore this study sought to establish the challenges and the coping mechanisms of discordant couples in rural Kiambu County, Kenya. A sample of 30individuals living in a discordant relationship was purposively sampled for data collection. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was used to collect data from the discordant couples. The study found out that the discordant couples in rural Kiambu County experience negative emotions such as fear of transmission, anxiety, stress, worry, hatred, hopelessness, stigma and discrimination, blame and guilt among others. These negative emotions affect their couple relationship in a variety of ways including sexual distancing, lack of interest in sex among others. Relationship challenges are experienced from the couple as a dyad and from outside. Challenges such as reproduction, domestic violence and separation affect the relationship. The effects are manifested in such ways as family sizes, communication and good use of preventive methods. The study also found out that couples have different ways of coping like good use of condoms, good adherence to ART and PrEP, couple counselling and good communication. Besides getting free medication and condoms from the government through health facilities, individual couples have also devised their own coping mechanisms such as assertiveness, religion and networks with other discordant couples. For discordant couples in this County to live holistically, the study recommends that the County and National governments should increase funding to address HIV/AIDS related issues. The funds channeled through National AIDS Control Council (NACC) will facilitate the hire of more counsellors and social workers so that the needs of discordant couples can be met through counselling, social support and awareness of discordance among the general population.
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    The Prevalence of Cyberbullying and Cyber-Victimization Behaviours in Internet Usage among Adolescents in Secondary Schools of Westlands Sub-County, Nairobi.
    (Tangaza University College, 2019-02) Mathew, Jenny Prince
    In the global world, with the increasing convenience of technology and its augmentation in the interconnectedness with human interaction, it is becoming possible that verbal and image bullying have turned digital, making cyberbullying a form of bullying that is novel and challenging. Despite this growing concern, there is a paucity of studies investigating this phenomenon therefore this study was undertaken to establish the prevalence of cyberbullying behaviors in internet usage among the adolescents in the sampled schools of Westland’s Sub-County, Nairobi County. Furthermore information for this study adopted a descriptive survey design. The study used a quantitative research approach in the form of self-reported questionnaires. Moreover the present study used probability sampling techniques and targeted a sample size of 228 students aged between 13 and 18 years. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 22 and the data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics methods. The data analysis was based on Chi-square test, Pearson’s Correlation, Linear regression analysis and one way ANOVA. The results show that participation in cyberbullying behaviors was 14% and cyber-victimization behaviors among students was 23%. The Pearson’s Correlation results found no association between cyberbullying behaviors (r = -.007, p > .05) and cyber-victimization behaviors (r = -.005, p > .05) with the compulsive internet usage but revealed positive significant correlation between cyberbullying perpetration and cyber-victimization behaviors (r = .367, p < .01) indicating that students exhibiting cyber-victimization behaviors end up becoming perpetrators themselves. Linear regression analysis further indicated that not age but gender had significant impact on the relationship between internet use and cyberbullying and cyber-victimization behaviors. The study revealed more of female adolescents (19%) engaged in cyberbullying perpetration and male adolescents (24%) as being cyber-victimized. One way ANOVA found no significant difference between the three different grades of students and internet usage, cyberbullying and cyber- victimization behaviors. On the whole this study assisted in gaining deeper insight indicating a noteworthy prevalence of cyberbullying and cyber-victimization behaviors among the teens in the schools of Westland Sub-county, Nairobi County. In conclusion the study underscores the need for providing active prevention plans and intervention strategies in raising awareness by promoting healthy attitudes and behaviors among the adolescents in family as well as educational settings.
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    Exploring Communication Breakdown as a Pathway to Divorce among Young Couples in Waterfalls Deanery Catholic Archdiocese Harare, Zimbabwe
    (Tangaza University College, 2017-09) Banhwa, Gibson
    The problem of divorce in Zimbabwe has become a social issue which needs a remedy to mitigate. The key contributing factor that leads to divorce in marriage is communication breakdown, yet studies have overlooked it as a pathway to divorce. The study explored communication breakdown as a pathway to divorce among the young couples in Waterfalls Deanery of the Catholic Archdiocese of Harare in Zimbabwe. The number of participants who took part in this study were 24 young divorcees aged between 22 to 50 years. They were selected through purposive sampling. There were nine key informants who were incorporated into this study in order to ensure the quality of data obtained from this sensitive topic. A qualitative research method with a grounded theory design was employed in this study in order to capture the perceptions, experiences and the knowledge of the participants on marital communication breakdown. The data was analyzed through the thematic analysis. The findings indicated that communication in marriage is important for it is the greatest source of marital happiness, a force that unites couples and it creates a favorable marriage climate. The results of the study also showed that there are various factors which lead to marital communication breakdown, that there are ways of improving marital communication in marriage and reduce the rate of divorce and that people in society have their own views about communication breakdown in marriage. The study would help many families, institutions, individuals, policy makers to make informed plans on issues of family and marriage.
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    Training Home-based Caregivers towards a Holistic Development of Infants (aged 0 -2 years) in Kenya
    (Tangaza University College, 2019-01) Moniz, Carmen Maria
    Holistic development in early childhood is significant as it occurs within the sensitive periods and if neglected, results in irreversible damage affecting the infant’s future. Globalization has had an impact on family life throughout the world. In Kenya, parents are overwhelmed with their socio-economic commitments and have overlooked the needs of the infant particularly below twenty-four months. They tend to rely on caregivers who are assumed to have knowledge and, this is detrimental to the infant. This project aimed to create a manual that could be used to train caregivers towards a holistic development that encompasses the biosocial, psychosocial, emotional and cognitive factors of growth of infants in their first two years of life. The specific objectives focus on providing an environment that stimulates the senses, accompanies the infant in building their language skills, creates a secure bond, encourages gross and fine motor movement while respecting the infant’s individuality. The training is supported by Bowlby’s Attachment theory, Erickson’s psychosocial theory and Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. The training programme consists of 20 sessions carried out over a 5 day period of 4 sessions per day. The sessions are designed using Bloom’s Taxonomy. It is delivered using Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model with the participants as the primary target and the infants as the beneficiaries of this project. After the training, the participants will be able to use the developmental milestones to not only recognize the signs of impairment but distinguish between disability and weakness. In addition the trainee will be able to modify and adapt the techniques learnt to help the infant reach their potential. This training intends to provide an opportunity for the participants to form a support group to enable them to continue to learn from each other’s experiences.
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    Role of Premarital Preparation in the First Ten Years of Marriage among Married Couples in Kanyangi Parish, Catholic Diocese of Kitui, Kenya
    (Tangaza University College, 2018-08) Nyamai, Catherine Kavuli
    Existing literature indicates a wealth of empirical research has been conducted in the field of premarital preparation. These studies show that premarital preparation enhances marital quality within the first years of marriage. However, many of these studies have been undertaken with Western populations of young Euro American participants and very limited research has been done in the Kenyan context. To address this gap in knowledge, a study was carried out using a phenomenological research design to explore the role of premarital preparation in the first ten years of a marriage among married couples in Kanyangi parish of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui, Kenya. The study embraced a purposive sampling technique in identifying the churches and the participants. A sample population of 12 couples (24 participants) aged 20-45 years and who had been married for one year to ten years participated in the study. Data was collected using an interview guide and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in the emerging themes related to the study objectives. Nine major themes emerged from the data analysis and these include: Informal premarital preparation, skills acquisition, assessment for marriage preparation, enriching marriage preparation, value addition, marital quality, Christian model, the Kamba traditional model, and integrated approach model. The findings indicated that premarital preparation in the first ten years of marriage is an effective way of preventing marital distress, separation and divorce. This data has enriched the existing data base on premarital preparation. It is recommended that a quantitative study be undertaken in future to ensure that the results can be generalized to other parts of Kenya.