Browsing by Author "Mucherah, Winnie"

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    Gender and Risk-Taking Behaviors: The ‘Generation Z’ College Risk-Taker in a Kenyan University.
    (African Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2024) Karinge, Caroline Mwendwa; Matthews, Douglas; Mucherah, Winnie
    Enrolment in African institutions of higher learning has doubled in the last 20 years yet there is limited evaluation of risk-taking behaviors in this growing student population. Although there are many components to risk-taking behaviors, externalizing risk-taking behaviors like binge drinking, high-risk sexual behaviors and problem gambling as well as internalizing risktaking behaviors like suicidality are among the top ten causes of death and disabilities impacting university students. Moreover, there is rising global concern about increasing participation in risk-taking behaviors among university students. However, focus generally remains on evaluating single, traditional risk-taking behaviors with little done to evaluate if multiple risk-taking behaviors occur in the same individuals. This study sought to determine the prevalence of traditional and “novel” risk-taking behaviors among female and male students in a university in Kenya. Data from 297 undergraduate students was collected using a sociodemographic and socio-behavioral questionnaire and the DSM-IV Screen for Gambling (NODS-CLiP). Descriptive analyses showed that 61.3% of the students in the sample had engaged in risk-taking behaviors with 26.9% of them involved in multiple risk-taking behaviors. Chi-square tests of independence, at 95% confidence level, showed that male students were more likely to participate in high-risk sexual behaviors and problem gambling while female students were more likely to report suicidality. There was no significant gender difference in binge drinking or participation in multiple risk-taking behaviors. These findings underscore the need for gender specific mitigation programs, targeting multiple risk-taking behaviors, within institutions of higher learning in Kenya.
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    Prevalence of Depression among Adolescents in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Makueni County, Kenya
    (African Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2022) Nzangi, Alice K.; Munene, Alice; Chang’orok, Susan; Mucherah, Winnie
    The purpose of the study was to establish the prevalence of depression among 460 (14-21 years) drawn from selected co-ed day and boarding secondary schools in Makueni County, Kenya. Beck’s Depression Inventory 2nd edition (BDI-II) was used to assess the prevalence of depression. Data analysis using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21 revealed a depression prevalence of 58.9%. Participants aged 16-17 had higher prevalence at 32.2% compared to other age categories such as aged 18-19 at 18.3%, aged 14-15 at 4.4% and aged 20-21 at 3.9% respectively. Depression was significantly (p=.000) higher in females at (33.8%) compared to males at (25.1%). The proportion of depression was significantly high (p=.000) among the form three participants (23.3%) compared to those in form two (18.7%) and form one (16.8%). The frequency was more among day scholars (35.9%) compared to boarders (22.9%). Likewise, depression prevalence was higher in adolescents who lived with both parents (38.1%) compared to those who lived with single parents (13.3%), grandparents (5.2%) and others (siblings and neighbors) at (2.2%), however there was no significant difference (p = 0.645). Overall, the study showed that depression is a common and serious mental health problem among high school adolescents in Kenya. This calls for more attention through diagnosis and treatment to improve adolescents’ well-being.