Assessing The Effects of Drought on The Psychological Well-Being of Secondary School Students from Pastoralist Communities: A Case of Selected Public Secondary Schools in Kajiado West, Kenya

Abstract

Drought significantly affects the psychosocial well-being of pastoralist communities, particularly among adolescents whose stability depends on secure familial and economic conditions. This study examined the psychosocial effects of drought on the psychological well-being of secondary school students from pastoralist communities, focusing on selected public secondary schools in Kajiado West, Kenya. The issue stems from recurrent droughts that disrupt pastoralist livelihoods, diminish family income, create food and water insecurity, and undermine students’ mental stability and academic engagement. Although the economic consequences of drought are widely recognized, limited research has explored its psychosocial impacts on school-going adolescents in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Guided by the Ecological Systems Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, the study adopted a mixed-methods design integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to comprehensively understand the phenomenon. The target population comprised secondary school students from selected public schools within pastoralist communities, with data collected from 218 participants selected through purposive and simple random sampling. Additional data were obtained from school principals to enrich and contextualize student perspectives. Quantitative data were collected using standardized instruments, including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. All instruments were pretested to ensure reliability and validity before use. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, chi-square, and multiple regression analyses through SPSS, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Findings revealed widespread exposure to drought impacts: 88.1% of respondents reported livestock loss, 41.3% experienced income reduction, and 36.7% faced disruptions in school attendance. The psychosocial consequences were pronounced, with 32.6% of students exhibiting mild depression, 19.3% moderate depression, and over half (54.6%) reporting moderate to extremely severe anxiety. Stress levels remained largely normal (85.3%), indicating relative emotional resilience. Mean scores placed depression in the mild range (M = 10.07, SD = 5.24), anxiety in the moderate range (M = 9.71, SD = 5.24), and stress in the normal range (M = 9.83, SD = 5.19). Ryff’s scale results indicated notable strengths in purpose (63.3%), self-acceptance (55%), and positive relationships (50.5%), though weaknesses were observed in environmental mastery (21.6%). Regression analysis showed that depression (β = .283, p = .009) and stress (β = .266, p = .011) significantly predicted psychological well-being, accounting for 21.1% of the variance, while anxiety was not a significant predictor. Gender differences were observed in emotion-focused coping (χ² = 8.476, p = .014), with females demonstrating higher reliance on such strategies. Overall, the study established that drought heightened psychosocial distress, particularly anxiety, while weakening students’ environmental mastery and disrupting their educational engagement. Nevertheless, purpose, self-acceptance, and interpersonal relationships emerged as protective factors that supported psychological well-being. The findings underscore the urgent need for school-based psychosocial interventions, culturally responsive resilience programs, and integrated policies that link climate adaptation efforts with adolescent mental health and educational outcomes.