Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic Containment Measures on Intra-Family Social Dynamics within Families in Ruiru Sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya
| dc.contributor.author | Karinga, Esther Nyagaturi | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-02-25T12:58:55Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-02-25T12:58:55Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-10 | |
| dc.description | Submitted to the Department of Sociology, Gender, and Development Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (Sociology) in the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences, Kenyatta University, October 2025. Supervisor 1. Dr. George Evans Owino-Department of Sociology, Gender and Development Studies, Kenyatta, University 2. Dr Samuel Mwangi- Department of Sociology, Gender, and Development Studies, Kenyatta, University. | |
| dc.description.abstract | Prior to the onset COVID-19 pandemic in December of 2019, life was generally characterized by a sense of normalcy and freedom that we often take for granted, as people gathered freely and socialized with each other. However, during COVID-19, a number of containment measures were imposed by national governments to contain it. These measures included restrictions on travelling, general home confinements, reduced tourism activities, curfews and ban on any and all social, cultural, sporting or religious events, and limited physical gatherings. Law enforcement authorities were mandated to ensure people complied with these measures. People were kept away from many aspects of social life and confined within their family and household settings. The confinement consequently brought positive and negative social effects on family life and social interactions. Based on the aforementioned, the study assessed the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on social interactions within families in Ruiru Sub-County, Kiambu County. The specific study objectives were to examine effects of COVID-19 on social interactions between parents and their children, siblings to siblings, spouses to spouses and suggest mitigation strategies to challenges posed by COVID-19 on family life and social interactions. The study was guided by two theories: family system theory and social interactionism theory. The study employed mixed research design, which allowed quantitative and qualitative data to be collected, analyzed, and interpreted simultaneously in order to explore the relationship between study variables on social interactions of families. The study target population was 58,264 households in Ruiru Sub-County (household being defined as any house with occupants who stay together regardless of composition). Yamane (1967) formula was used to determine a sample of 396 households for the study. The study participants were selected from the study area using simple random sampling. The study also involved 10 key informants who were 6 social workers and 4 chiefs. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data since the cost of administering them was relatively cheap. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented by frequency tables using Microsoft Excel while qualitative data was analyzed through narrative analysis and presented through narrations. Study findings showed that containment measures due to COVID-19 pandemic ensured families spent more time together than was usual affected social interaction in families between parents and their children and between spouses. However, the social interaction in families between siblings was not affected by the containment measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study findings that the containment measures negatively impacted social interactions between parents and children and between spouses will benefit policy makers and social practitioners in preparing and responding to pandemics of similar magnitude in case they happen in future to prevent family break-down. The study recommends that the government and other players carry out a critical assessment and measurement of marital, parent-to-child and sibling-to sibling interactions to inform future policy formulation regarding social interaction in families. The study also recommends that the government establishes intervention measures such as family counseling services that address interaction issues within families in Ruiru sub-County. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/32577 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic Containment Measures on Intra-Family Social Dynamics within Families in Ruiru Sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya | |
| dc.type | Thesis |