Association between Psycho-Social Factors and Depression among International Students in Selected Private Universities in Nairobi, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2022-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences
Abstract
Depression among the general university student population is highly prevalent and persists at substantially high levels globally. International university students form a significant part of this population. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the association between psycho-social factors and depression among international students studying in selected private universities in Nairobi, Kenya. The objectives of the study included establishing the prevalence of depression, identifying the influence of financial status as a predictor of depression, evaluating the effect of acculturative stress as a determinant of depression, and examining the association between social isolation and the level of depression among international university students in Nairobi. The study population was 103 international postgraduate students aged 20-35 years old from Daystar University, Strathmore University, and United States International University Africa (USIU-A). The selected universities have similarities in programs offered, location, and population of international students. The study adopted a descriptive correlational design and purposive sampling to select a sample of 103 respondents. Structured online questionnaires were used in data collection, which was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 26. The study results showed that the depression levels among international students in Kenya were majorly mild to minimal stress levels at mean scores of 4.8. Additionally, an association between financial status and the level of depression was found to exist. Furthermore, the majority of respondents reported a low level of acculturative stress at above 70%. Perceived social support was negatively correlated with depression and acculturative stress. The study findings underscore the need for universities to take into account international students' mental health concerns, particularly if they are having financial
challenges.
Description
Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology
Keywords
Depression, university student population, psycho-social factors and depression
Citation
Njeri, M. S. (2022). Association between Psycho-Social Factors and Depression among International Students in Selected Private Universities in Nairobi, Kenya. Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences