RP-Department of Psychology

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Browsing RP-Department of Psychology by Author "Githae, Eunice Njango"

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    Family Emotional Over-Involvement and Relapse among Inpatient Alcoholics in Nairobi, Kenya
    (International Organization of Scientific Research, 2016) Githae, Eunice Njango; Sirera, Merecia; Wasanga, Christine
    Family interactional patterns have been proposed as significant in relapse of most psychiatric disorders. Many studies have demonstrated that patterns of interactions of family members affect the quality of relationships within such families. Research, particularly in Systems Theories, has also indicated that the ways in which family members interact with each other is cyclic and affect recovery and sustainability of treatment among psychiatric patients. Although the relationship between family communication dynamics and psychiatric relapse has received much attention, few studies have focused on such dynamics within alcoholic families. This study has examined one of the interactional patterns referred to as emotional over-involvement (EOI) among close family members with alcoholic patients. The study is underpinned by the Family Systems Theory (Minuchin, 1974), and views alcoholism as a „family illness‟. The study derived samples from inpatient alcoholics in rehabilitation centers (N=186) and their family members in Nairobi County, Kenya. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess for alcoholism, while a questionnaire was generated to assess family EOI. Interviews were also carried out and were corroborated with the questionnaires. Pearson correlations and regression analyses showed that EOI was statistically significant at p=0.000<0.05 and had a predictive value of .471. This meant that EOI expressed by family members was a very significant predictor for relapse among recovering alcoholics.
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    The Stigma of Handling Dead Bodies and the Psychological Well-Being of Mortuary Workers
    (Eastern African Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2025-01) Wandati, Anne Njeri; Githae, Eunice Njango
    This study investigated how the perceived stigma of handling dead bodies impacted the psychological well-being of mortuary workers. Many studies indicate that the psychological well-being of morgue workers is affected by the reactions of the community tothe work that they do. Social stigma theory was used to inform the study while correlational design was employed to determine the relationship between perceived stigma and psychological distress of mortuary workers in Nairobi County. The study adopted theKessler Wellness Scale (K-1O), Everyday Discrimination Scale and an individual interview schedule. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic data, while Pearson correlation and regression analysis were used to make inferences from the collected data. Study findings indicated 46.7% received worse service when they revealed their profession while 29.7% believed that others treated them as inferiors, and thus positioned themselves above them. In addition, 57.5% of the funeral directors mentionedthat they had been insulted but did not specify when or by whom the insults were made. Furthermore, Kessler Scale results showed that a large number of employees experienced mental health problems where 43.5% expressed feeling depressed while 67.4% had anxiety. The results established a Pearson correlation coefficient of r=0.37, and a multiple correlation coefficient (R value) of 0.675, indicating a moderate positive correlation between stigma and psychological distress. The study recommended that workingin morgues exposed the workers to psychological distress and efforts should be made to enhance their psychological wellbeing especially by providing support systems.