Merecia SireraChristine WasangaAndolo, Evelyn Khazika2021-09-202021-09-202021http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/22522A thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of Doctor of Philosophy of Kenyatta University, March, 2021Adolescents with physical disability experience trauma causing events which imprint heavily into their memory. Memory of trauma may cause one to relive the event therefore evoking the feelings they experienced during the actual trauma. Few studies have been carried out on the memories of trauma and its effect on psychobiosocial constructs especially among Adolescents with Physical Disability. The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between memory of trauma and selected psychobiosocial constructs (self-esteem, social competence, dissociation and somatization). Psychoanalytic and psychobiological theory guided this study. Mixed methods design comprising of phenomenology and correlation was employed for the research. The study was carried out in a national institution that hosts adolescents with physical disability from all counties in Kenya. The sample was drawn using purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. A total of 129 adolescents with physical disability and two counselor teachers participated in the study. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires with standard tools such as the Rosenberg self-esteem test (Rosenberg, 1997) and Dissociation event scale (Carlson, 1944), Trauma indicator, Impact of trauma scale, somatization scale, social competence scale interviews and two focus group discussions to find out the relationship between memory of trauma and psychobiosocial constructs. An interview schedule was used for the teachers. Descriptive, correlations and thematic approaches were used for data analysis. The qualitative analysis was done thematically. Findings were presented using tables and qualitative data was transcribed presented verbatim. Results showed that all participants experienced at least one trauma causing events such as physical and sexual abuse, loss of loved ones, life threatening natural phenomena, road traffic accidents, sudden inability to carry out activities of daily living and amputation. Triggers of memory of trauma were reported as either external or internal loci. There was a relationship between Memory of trauma and selected psychobiosocial constructs as seen in the following findings: A positive significant relationship between memory of trauma and somatization; internal loci of memory triggers and somatization r (129) = .239 p = .006. Memory of trauma with dissociation had a significant positive relation for internal loci of memory of trauma r (129) = .256 p = .003. A negative relationship was noted between internal loci trigger of memory of trauma and social competence. Further correlation between impact of memory of trauma and psychobiosocial constructs were all significant, inverse direction and of average magnitude, except for somatization which had a positive correlation. The findings therefore emphasize the need to focus on impact of memory of trauma when supporting Persons with Physical disability because it influences the psychobiosocial constructs significantly. A model for multidimensional approach in mitigating effects of trauma was proposed. The model proposed inclusion of trained support providers so that Adolescent with physical disability are assisted to manage memory of trauma. Screening for trauma and impact of memory of trauma was recommended so as to identify the affected adolescent with physical disability so as to support them in the healing processenRelationship between Memory of TraumaSelected Psychobiosocial ConstructsAdolescentsPhysical DisabilitiesKiambu CountyKenyaThesis