Adverse Childhood Experiences and associated correlates among Adolescents at a Rural Private High School in Kenya

Abstract

The study’s aim was to examine the relationship between ACEs and associated correlates among adolescents at a rural private high school in Kenya. An analytical cross-section research design was used, 595 adolescents aged between 13-18 years were selected. Stratified random and simple random sampling method were used in attaining the sample size. Socio-demographic questionnaires, the ten-short version of ACE and Strengths and Difficulties (SDQ) questionnaires were used in data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to compute data. Bivariate analysis using chi square found that ACEs were significantly associated with emotional and behavioural problems and this was statistically significant at P<0.05. Multivariate analysis revealed that form one and two students were at higher risk of having ACEs. Higher ACEs risk was also found among children living in single parent family organization. Being Muslim, exhibiting normal emotional and peer problems were found to be protective factors as they were associated with lower levels of ACEs. This study was limited to one sub county school and therefore the study findings cannot be generalised to the whole country. Future studies can target students from high economic backgrounds, urban areas to assess the prevalence of ACEs and impacts on its associated correlates.