Effects of Parental Alcoholism on the Psychosocial Well-Being of Adolescents at Gitithia Secondary School in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

The study aimed to explore how parental alcoholism affects the psychosocial development of high school students in Kiambu County. Parental alcoholism has been linked to various negative outcomes in children, including mental health issues. However, limited research has explored how these dynamics specifically affect the psychosocial development of adolescents in the Kenyan context. This quantitative research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis to examine the correlation between parental alcoholism and adolescents' psychosocial well-being. The findings revealed that 28% of the adolescents were exposed to parental alcoholism, indicating that more than a quarter of the student population had experienced this adverse familial condition. The analysis showed that gender and age were not significantly associated with exposure status, suggesting that both male and female participants of different age groups were equally likely to be affected. However, significant associations emerged in relation to family structure and socioeconomic status. Conduct problems emerged as the most prevalent difficulty, with over 30% of respondents falling into the abnormal category, followed by emotional symptoms and peer-related issues. Hyperactivity was less frequently reported as a serious concern. Adolescents exposed to parental alcoholism exhibited more behavioral difficulties and reduced prosocial tendencies compared to their peers. A multiple linear regression analysis supported these results, showing that exposure to parental alcoholism was significantly associated with increased conduct problems and hyperactivity, while prosocial behavior showed a positive trend toward significance.  The study recommends that psychosocial support services, such as peer support groups, mentorship programs, and teacher sensitization workshops, should be integrated into the school system to promote a supportive environment for vulnerable students. The Ministry of Education, in partnership with child protection and mental health stakeholders, should develop policies that prioritize mental health screening and intervention for adolescents, especially in alcohol-prevalent regions. Schools should be supported in creating safe spaces and protocols for reporting family-related challenges.