Relationship between Parent-Child Communication about Alcohol and Adolescent's Usage among High School Students in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The study was occasioned by epidemiological data which shows that alcohol use is a rampant and present in the society mostly affecting the youth. The study explored the relationship of parent-child communication about alcohol and adolescent usage among high school students in Nairobi County. The objectives of the study were to: establish the proportion of parents who communicate to their children about alcohol; find out the nature (i.e. content, frequency, and timing) of parent-child communication about alcohol; establish the percentage of high school adolescents using alcohol; and establish the relationship between parental communication and adolescents' use of alcohol. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design in which data was collected through a questionnaire administered in a group to test the variables being studied.A total population of 200 students between the ages of 16-18 years was sampled using simple random and multi-stage sampling techniques from the selected sample of nine secondary schools across Nairobi County. Data collected from the study was coded and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The study found that a higher proportion of adolescents that took part in the study were involved in alcohol use, taking different types of alcoholic drinks. The timing, content and frequency of communication from the parents to the children were found to influence the extent of alcohol use among adolescents. The parent-child communication was found to be beneficial in reducing the alcohol intake by the adolescents. The study notes that gender, type of the school, and availability of alcohol as being important factors affecting the use of alcohol by the adolescents. The head teachers at different schools, especially those segregated on gender basis need to put in place strict measures to address the issues of alcohol while parents should control the availability of alcoholic drinks in their homes.