The Impact of Psycho-education on Women with Anxiety Disorders in Resource Poor Settings in Laikipia County, Northern Kenya
- January 9, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: Psychology
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue XII, December 2018 | ISSN 2454–6186
Gladys K. Mwangi
Ph.D., Department of Counselling Psychology, Africa International University, Kenya
Abstract-This research determined if the eclectic psycho-education model developed for this study was effective in treating the symptoms of anxiety disorders among Maasai women living in resource poor settings in Laikipia County in Northern Kenya. The Quasi-experimental research design was employed for this study. The target population for this study were 484 female members of Conservation Enterprise Groups (CEG) operating in Laikipia North. A sample size of 200, each for the experimental group (EG) and control group (CG) was selected at 80% power and 30% effective size. The tool used to test for symptoms of anxiety was the Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Data was analysed using SPSS Version 21.0. The prevalence of anxiety was established as 79.4% amongst the women. Data from the control group (CG) showed that if these symptoms were not treated using the Psycho-education model developed for the study, they degenerated into severe symptoms. T-tests and Chi-square tests conducted at the end of the studies showed that the psycho-education treatment significantly improved anxiety symptoms (P<0.005).
Keywords: Psycho-education treatment for anxiety disorders, among women in Laikipia County, Northern Kenya.
I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
Globally, the prevalence of mental disorders is high, with reports of up to 30% in the general population (Kessler, Demler, & Frank, 2005). In Kenya, the prevalence of common mental health disorders in resource poor settings is 10.8% (Jenkins, Njenga, Okonji, Kigamwa, Baraza, Ayuyo,…& Kiima, 2012). Previous research has shown that anxiety disorders have been linked with a number of adverse outcomes, including decreased work productivity(Kessler & Frank, 1997); impaired work, family, and social functioning, physical disability and even mortality (Brennes, Pennix, & Judd, 2007).
