Examining The Role of The Clergy in Providing Support and Care for Members with Mental Illness: A Case of Africa Inland Church - Kitui County

Abstract

This study examined the role of clergy in providing support and care for members with mental illness within the Africa Inland Church (AIC) in Kitui County, Kenya. The research addressed the critical gap in understanding how religious leaders functioned as frontline mental health responders in communities with limited access to professional mental health services. The study was guided by Faith-Based Counseling Theory, Cultural Stigma and Alternative Pathways Theory, and the Mental Health and Spirituality Integration Model. The study aimed to achieve four specific objectives: to examine the role of clergy in providing support and care for members with mental illness; to identify challenges faced by clergy in addressing mental health issues; to explore training needs to enhance clergy capacity for mental health support; and to evaluate the effectiveness of clerical mental health interventions within the AIC-Kitui Area. The research employed an exploratory mixed-methods research design, conducted in Mulango region, Kitui Area, which served as the mother region for AIC churches in the county. The target population comprised 42 clergy members from 26 churches. A census approach was used for the quantitative component, achieving an 88% response rate with 37 clergy completing questionnaires. For the qualitative component, 13 clergy members were randomly selected for in-depth interviews. Data was collected through structured questionnaires and interview guides, then analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis through SPSS. The findings revealed that clergy played vital roles in mental health support primarily through pastoral counseling (78.4%) and prayer sessions (59.5%), with 54.1% making referrals to mental health professionals. However, community-based interventions such as support groups (10.8%) and educational workshops (13.5%) were underutilized. Major challenges included limited resources (56.8%), stigma associated with mental illness (45.9%), lack of training (43.2%), and time constraints (37.8%). Despite these challenges, 81.1% of clergy believed their interventions effectively improved congregants' mental health.The study concluded that while clergy served as crucial first responders in mental health crises, their effectiveness was constrained by inadequate training and resources. Recommendations included comprehensive mental health training for clergy, enhanced collaboration with mental health professionals, increased resource allocation, and development of structured community-based interventions to strengthen clergy capacity for supporting congregants with mental illness.