Role of Parents in Prevention of Substance Use among Adolescents in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Mumbuni Location- Machakos County, Kenya

Authors: Mary Mueni Musyoka¹, Beatrice Ndiga², Charity Wangui Waithima³

¹Africa Nazarene University, P.O BOX 53067-00200, Nairobi
Department of Education and Psychology
Email: marymusyoka09@gmail.com

²Tangaza University College, P.O. BOX 15055 Nairobi
Department of Education and Research
Email: ndiga2001@yahoo.com

³United States International University – Africa
P.O.BOX 14634-00800, Nairobi
Email: koiwaithima@gmail.com
               

Abstract
Drug use is one of major problems facing  the Kenyan youths today. The main purpose of the study to investigate the role of parents in prevention of substance use among adolescents in selected public Secondary Schools in Mumbuni Location- Machakos County, Kenya. This study employed descriptive survey design. The target population was 3,336 Form three and four students enrolled in 20 public secondary schools. Systematic and stratified random sampling methods were employed to select 9 out of 20 secondary schools for the purpose of the study. Data was collected by use of researcher’s questionnaire guided by the research objective. The schools were stratified into three; boys, girls and mixed secondary schools. Data was drawn from 180 students and 100 parents and was analysed by use of inferential and descriptive statistics and presented using tables and charts. Chi-square technique was used to examine the relationship between parental mentoring and prevention of adolescent substance use. The study findings showed that the use of substances at home negatively mentored their children into substance use. Further, the study findings revealed that failure to set time to guide the children by parents had a negative impact in prevention of substance use. The study significantly showed association and positive correlation between negative parental mentoring and increased rate of adolescent substance use with the findings as (r=7.23, p=0.05 where r is the correlation coefficient and p is the significant level. The study concluded that students perceived that their parents mentored them into substance use. The researcher recommends more training; sensitization and awareness seminars and build rehabilitation centres to empower parents in prevention of adolescent substance use.

 Keywords: Substance use, adolescents, students, parental role, parental mentoring, parent respondents, students’ respondents

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