Daystar University Repository
Not a member yet
5687 research outputs found
Sort by
Influence of Stigma on Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior among Tier-One Bank Employees in Nairobi, Kenya
No full textMASTERS in Clinical PsychologyMental well-being was critical to overall health, yet stigma remained a significant barrier to help-seeking behavior, particularly in high-pressure occupations like banking. This study examined the influence of stigma on mental health help-seeking behavior among tier-one bank employees in Nairobi, Kenya, a sector characterized by fast-paced, competitive environments that heightened vulnerability to stress, anxiety, and depression. Despite growing awareness of mental health challenges in Kenya, limited research had focused on occupational groups within the banking industry, where socio-cultural beliefs and workplace stigma often deterred employees from seeking support. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explored unique stressors faced by bank employees and the role of stigma whether public, self, or perceived in shaping their help-seeking decisions. Quantitative data were gathered from 390 employees through structured questionnaires incorporating standardized instruments, including the Mental Health Stigma Scale (MHSS), the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH), and the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ). Qualitative data were collected from 30 purposively selected participants through semi-structured interviews designed to capture lived experiences with stigma and mental health support within the workplace. The findings revealed that 51.8% of respondents reported high levels of perceived public stigma, while 32.1% experienced high self-stigma, both of which were negatively associated with help-seeking intentions. Fear of career consequences, lack of confidentiality, and organizational silence around mental health emerged as dominant barriers. Chi-square analysis demonstrated statistically significant associations between stigma levels and help-seeking behavior, while thematic analysis of interview transcripts uncovered seven key themes, including fear of professional repercussions, internalized shame, limited supervisor support, and the influence of cultural norms. Facilitators such as flexible scheduling, peer support, and anti-stigma campaigns were identified as effective strategies for enhancing help-seeking behavior. The study concluded that mental health stigma remained deeply entrenched in the banking sector, limiting the efficacy of existing support mechanisms. It recommended the implementation of targeted psychoeducational programs, confidential access to mental health services, and culturally responsive interventions to reduce stigma and promote mental wellness. These findings contributed to the broader discourse on occupational mental health in Sub-Saharan Africa and offered practical insights for institutional policy reform within Kenya's financial sector.Daystar Universit
Assessing The Role of The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) International NGO In Post-Conflict Development in South Sudan
No full textMASTER OF ARTS in Diplomacy, Development, and International SecurityThis study evaluated the effectiveness of the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) interventions in fostering post-conflict development in South Sudan through humanitarian aid, capacity-building, and sustainable reconstruction efforts. Specifically, the research assessed the effectiveness of NRC interventions, analyzed the relationship between NRC activities and economic recovery indicators, and evaluated the impact of NRC interventions on social stability and community resilience in South Sudan. The study was guided by the Liberal Peace Theory, Dependency Theory, and Systems Theory. A descriptive research design was adopted to systematically collect and analyze data on NRC’s role in post-conflict development. The population of the study consisted of key stakeholders, including NRC officials, local community leaders, government representatives, and beneficiaries of NRC programs. A target population of 250 individuals was identified, and a sample size of 75 respondents, representing 30% of the target population, was selected using proportional stratified sampling. A combination of purposive and stratified random sampling techniques was employed to ensure diverse and relevant representation. The study utilized structured questionnaires, interview guides, and observation checklists to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Primary data were gathered through surveys, interviews, and observations, while secondary data were sourced from NRC reports, policy documents, and previous studies. Data collection procedures included obtaining ethical approvals, securing informed consent, and conducting structured field visits. A pretest was conducted to refine research instruments for clarity, reliability, and validity. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software, employing descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including regression and correlation analysis. Qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis to identify key patterns and recurring themes. The study integrated both data types to enhance credibility through triangulation. The study revealed that NRC interventions were highly effective, particularly in education, shelter, and resilience-building. Economic recovery contributions were moderate due to insecurity and limited markets. Social stability improved through inclusive programming. Regression results showed interventions explained 76.7% of post-conflict development outcomes, with community resilience emerging as the strongest predictor. The study concluded NRC interventions were highly effective, especially education as a cornerstone for recovery. Economic recovery contributions were moderate but constrained by structural challenges. Social stability and cohesion improved at the community level. However, broader economic transformation and national political reconciliation required complementary government and multi-actor interventions beyond NRC’s capacity. The study recommended enhancing integrated programming centered on education, scaling vocational and agricultural initiatives with private sector partnerships, and strengthening conflict-sensitive approaches. NRC should also develop robust monitoring systems to measure both short-term outputs and long-term impacts. These measures will maximize sustainability, effectiveness, and resilience in South Sudan’s post-conflict recovery.Daystar Universit
Digital Culture and Social Anxiety Disorder Affecting Kenyan Gen-Z; Implications for Multiculturally Sensitive Psychologists
No full textMaster's ArticleThe study sought to examine the impact of digital culture on social anxiety among Kenyan Gen-Z youth, focusing on how increased internet and smartphone access influences identity formation and mental well-being in the context of traditional African values like Ubuntu.Methodology:A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted, drawing on empirical literature, expert opinion, and cultural perspectives. The study integrated theoretical insights with real-life observations to explore the tensions between algorithmic digital influences and traditional communal frameworks. Key constructs examined included digital self-presentation, individualism, and cultural dissonance.Results:Findings revealed that Gen-Z youth in Kenya experience heightened social anxiety linked to the pressure of maintaining curated online personas. This pressure often leads to feelings of inadequacy, disconnection, and withdrawal from offline social engagements. The contradiction between the digital world's emphasis on individualism and the communal values embodied in Ubuntuemerged as a central source of internal conflict. The influence of algorithm-driven platforms was shown to intensify egocentrism and loneliness, undermining collective identity and psychological resilience.Conclusion:The study concludes that the rise of digital culture is creating a complex identity crisis among Kenyan youth by weakening traditional values of interconnectedness. Recommendations:The study recommends that multicultural psychologists integrate traditional healing with digital tools in culturally sensitive ways, using technology to reinforce—rather than replace—communal mental health value
Prevalence, Age-of-Onset, and Course of Mental Disorders among 72,288 First-Year University Students from 18 Countries in The World Mental Health International College Student (Wmh-Ics) Initiative
No full textJournal ArticleBackground
The college years are a developmentally sensitive period for mental disorder onset. Reliable epidemiological data are critical for informing public health responses. This study aimed to estimate prevalence and socio-demographic distributions of common DSM-5 mental disorders among first-year university students from 77 universities across 18 countries.
Methods
Data were collected 2017–2023 in the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative with n = 72,288 university students. Online surveys assessed alcohol use, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, bipolar, drug use, generalized anxiety, major depression, panic, and post-traumatic stress disorders with validated screening scales. Socio-demographics included student age, sex at birth, gender modality, sexual orientation, and parent education.
Results
The weighted mean response rate was 20.8%. Data were calibrated for differential response rates by sex at birth and age. 65.2% of respondents screened positive for lifetime mental disorders and 57.4% for 12-month mental disorders. Females had higher prevalence of internalizing disorders and males of substance and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Older age was associated with lower prevalence of most 12-month but not lifetime mental disorders. Non-heterosexual sexual orientation and identifying as transgender were associated with highest prevalence of most mental disorders. Parent education was for the most part uncorrelated with prevalence.
Conclusions
Although prevalence might have been overestimated due to the low response rate and possible screening scale miscalibration, results nonetheless suggest that mental disorders are highly prevalent among first-year university students worldwide and are widely distributed with respect to socio-demographic characteristics. These findings highlight the need to implement effective interventions to better support first-year university student mental health
Kenya's Constitution Strong, but Accountability Remains Weak
No full textnewspaper clippingsFormer Makueni Governor Prof Kivutha Kibwana has called out the government for failing to fully implement the constitution, warning that key institutions are being undermined.
Speaking on Spice FM on Monday, April 28, Kibwana said the constitution remains strong on paper but is not being effectively enforced.
“We have a strong constitution, but up to now, we have not implemented it fully and done the things that the constitution says we need to do,” he said, adding, “These institutions are trying to do their jobs, but even as they do so, they are under attack.”
He also pointed to weak parliamentary oversight, accusing MPs of being controlled by political kingpins.
“Many MPs are controlled by the kingpin, and they accept directives to secure their political future,” Kibwana explained.
He specifically criticised the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which he said leads to the misuse of public funds.
“In the National Assembly, they are often influenced by the CDF, which leads to monkey business,” he added.
Kibwana also accused members of county assemblies (MCAs) of being co-opted through contracts, undermining accountability at the local level.“If you interrogate closely, you might find that in many counties, MCAs are given contracts or their proxies,” he said.Despite the challenges, Kibwana remains firm that the constitution is strong, but he urged for more action to ensure its proper implementation.
At the same time, Kibwana expressed concern about the capture of constitutional commissions, including the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), by the Executive
X Space and the Revolution of Digital News Content: The Case of Generation-Z Protest Narratives in Kenya
No full textJournal ArticleThe power of digital media in Kenya has been demonstrated in the active social engagement and production of news discourse during the recent Generation-Z (Gen-Z) political activism on X Space. The discourse confirms a growing mass participation in news discourse on digital media taking precedence over legacy media. In the age of disruptive technologies, and the production of social-political discourses, an active, critical and content-producing mass is quickly surpassing traditionally assumed passive audience. In Kenya, amid a digital media frenzy over the Gen-Z protests, citizen journalism overrides legacy journalism, and in some cases, raw footage captured at points of witness is uploaded online without as much censorship. The paper applied qualitative
in-depth interviews of eight journalists to assess the Gen-Z political activism and production of discourses on X Space. Theories of disruptive technologies were juxtaposed against the agendasetting theory to identify the positive effects of digital narratives, including facilitating activism, active youth engagement in news discourse and social change. The study found out that a new form of youth activism has emerged, with the youth fruitfully engaging in X Space discourses, which culminate in actual street protests; Digital storytelling represents a powerful fusion of technology and social consciousness, where the young people project their voices of concern; Citizen journalism has fundamentally altered the dynamics of traditional journalism, reshaping
the way news is gathered, reported, and consumed; and that during the protests, mainstream media played catch-up as it struggled to keep up with the many discourses emerging from X Spaces. The study recommends that traditional media aim to fully align with the opportunities presented in disruptive innovative developments; and that the Kenyan media grab the opportunity to reevaluate their approach to gathering and disseminating news in the modern age for sustainable business and to maintain their important agenda-setting and gatekeeping role
LL.B 422: Advocate’s Professional Ethics & Practice
No full textLL.B 422: Advocate’s Professional Ethics & PracticeDaystar Universit
PSY 311A&T: Psychology of Learning
No full textPSY 311A&T: Psychology of LearningDaystar Universit
Strategic Agility and Organizational Performance: A Systematic Review
No full textJournal ArticleThis systematic review explores the critical link between strategic agility and organizational performance in dynamic business environments, highlighting critical components such as environmental sensing, resource fluidity, and collective commitment. Findings reveal that environmental sensing enhances decision-making efficiency by 25%, while resource fluidity improves operational performance by 12% and competitive outcomes by 33%. Collective commitment fosters a 25% increase in team collaboration, enabling agility in dynamic markets. These factors collectively drive innovation, adaptability, and sustained organizational performance, underscoring their importance in navigating volatile business environments. The review is informed by Contingency Theory, Dynamic Capabilities Theory and Organizational Agility Theor
Exploring Mother to Daughter Menstrual Communication Practice in Kolwa East Ward, Kisumu County
No full textMASTERS OF ARTS In CommunicationMothers play a vital role in the menstrual literacy of young girls which influences their preparedness, management, understanding and perceptions of menstruation. With a topic that is often laced with a culture of silence, the absence of or limited mother-daughter open communication can make young girls prone to danger of ill-prepared menstrual health management and infections. This study sought to investigate mother-to-daughter menstrual communication practice in Kolwa East, Kisumu County in Kenya. The objectives of this study were 1) To examine the kind of menstrual information that mothers at Kolwa East Ward are communicating to their adolescent daughters. 2) To identify the communication approach used by mothers in Kolwa East Ward in imparting menstrual knowledge to their adolescent daughters. 3) To examine factors that make mothers in Kolwa East Ward begin communicating menstrual information to their adolescent daughters. 4) To establish the challenges that mothers at Kolwa East Ward encounter/experience in communicating menstrual information to their adolescent daughters. Social Cognitive Theory and Theory of Planned Behavior guided this study. Additionally, the study adopted a phenomenological research design and purposive sampling technique. 10 participants were interviewed for this study and thematic analysis was employed. Mothers were found to be actively engaging in comprehensive menstrual health communication encompassing practical hygiene, sexual health, social-emotional guidance and early discussions before menarche. Storytelling and personal experiences were found to be the key strategies used by the mothers while discussing menstruation. Additionally, the age of communicating menstrual health information was shaped by developmental stages and social environments. Mothers navigated challenges such as knowledge gaps and their daughters’ varying receptiveness. Localized communication practices reinforced the critical role of mothers and how they actively shape their daughters’ understanding of menstruation. The emphasis on open dialogue and trust building reflected a conscious effort to overcome cultural taboos thus fostering positive communication patterns. Therefore, the study recommends that mothers should focus only on menstruation as a distinct subject, without integrating it with overall well-being or strategies to avert early unintended pregnancies during discussions about menstruation. There is need for enhanced menstrual health education to empower mothers with enriched knowledge and diverse communication strategies.Daystar Universit