The Relationship Between Parental Marital Status And Anxiety Levels Among University Students: A Case Of Kca University

Abstract

High prevalence of anxiety continues to be reported among university students. For this reason, this research aimed to investigate the potential impact of parental marital status on anxiety among students of KCA University, Nairobi, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to determine the prevalence of anxiety among university students at KCA University, to analyze the causes of anxiety among University Students at KCA University, to investigate the impact of parental marital status on anxiety among university students at KCA University and to assess coping strategies for anxiety among university students at KCA University. The theories adopted were the attachment theory and family systems theory. The study adopted the mixed method research design. The study targeted 1230 undergraduate students at KCA university. The systematic random sampling was used to select 123 second-year students. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using both the Microsoft excel and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 27). The analysis followed the objectives of the study where data on prevalence rates was presented using descriptive statistics of means, frequencies and percentages. For the objective involving finding relationships, inferential statistics was utilized. Correlational analysis was used to determine the association between the variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the impact of parental marital status on anxiety in university students. The findings from this research had the potential to inform interventions and support services for university students, particularly those affected by parental marital disruption. The study revealed that the students at KCA University experience low levels of anxiety by a score of 0-21. This implied that parental marital status had a significant influence on anxiety among university students at KCA University. The study also found that variables were strongly correlated as shown by correlation coefficient value of 0.619. It was also noted that avoidance is a way of coping with anxiety. The study concluded that parental marital status significantly influences anxiety among students. It was concluded that a change in the parental marital status would result to a change in anxiety among university students at KCA University. The study recommends that the university should create a counselling office that would help to deal with mental health issues among the students. Further, the students should be made aware that they can seek help from the university in case they feel they have a meant problem. Students should be assured that their shared problems would be kept confidential, this would help students to feel more confident. The study recommends that the university should provide education about mental health to the students. The subject about mental health should be common to all students. This would help students to understand what mental health is.