Assessment of Ambivalence in Christian Beliefs and Emotional Intelligence Among Adolescents in Selected Catholic Churches in Mavoko Subcounty, Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Adolescents often experience emotional and spiritual challenges that may create internal conflict, affecting their mental and emotional well-being. The purpose of this study was to assess ambivalence in Christian beliefs and the level of emotional intelligence among adolescents in selected Catholic Churches in Mavoko Subcounty, Machakos Kenya. Specifically, the study was guided by the following objectives: to determine the prevalence of ambivalence in Christian beliefs among adolescents, assess their levels of emotional intelligence, establish the correlation between ambivalence in Christian beliefs and emotional intelligence, and investigate the religious coping strategies used by adolescents who exhibit ambivalence in selected Catholic churches in Mavoko subcounty, Machakos Kenya. The study was be informed by Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Emotional Intelligence Theory, and Religious Coping Theory. The study was be done at St. Joseph Catholic Church, St. Jude Catholic Church, and St. Monica Catholic Church. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The study utilized primary data collected using both open and closed questionnaires. The study used a sample size of 386 participants. The collected data was analyzed with the aid of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). According to the findings from the Pearsons correlation matrix the study concluded that the ambivalence of Christian beliefs has a statistically significant weak negative relationship between ambivalence of Christian beliefs and emotional intelligence of adolescents in selected catholic churches in Mavoko Subcounty, Machakos, Kenya.