Abstract: There are certain socio-economic factors that influencing public secondary school students’ dropout. The statement of the problem showed that the sub-county had a dropout rate of 43 percent as compared to the neighboring sub-counties which some had 25, and 28 percent despite the similar government’s strategies available. Descriptive research design was used in data collection. Target population was 19480 students, 372 form 3 class teachers and 248 principals. A sample of 370 students was found using Saunders et al (2007) Table, 74 principals and 112 form 3 class teachers respectively using 30%. Validity was done by using suggestions from supervisors before setting out to collect data. Reliability used test re-test methods which yielded alpha of 0.65. Researcher used questionnaires and interview schedules for data collection. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical and inferential techniques using the Statistical packages of social sciences (SPSS) version 23. Findings revealed that family headship was 57%, hence high dropout was a result of family headship which lead to inadequate guidance/mentorship to the students. The study concluded that 64% where students are mostly sent home, had high chances that some never returned to school and 59% did not support the learners who were coming from poor background. It was concluded that family headship highly influenced the retention of students in secondary schools. The study recommended that the collaborative efforts by the government and other education stakeholders to support the learners who cannot afford the rising financial conditions of learning and family headship burden.

Abstract: The study aimed to assess the influence of gender-based violence (GBV) in the workplace environment of small and medium-sized enterprises in Makina, Nairobi County. It examined experiences of victims of Gender-Based Violence in SME workplace environment. The study used a descriptive research design and targeted 500 men and women aged 18 and above, from which a sample of 222 participants was drawn. Qualitative data was collected using focus group discussions and in-depth key informant interviews. Statistical Package for Social Science (version 25) was used to evaluate quantitative data, which was then presented in tables and bar graphs. Fear of job stability and work relationships is the most significant barrier to reporting GBV. Verbal abuse (26.7%), work threats (17.44%), offensive remarks and texts (12.31%), and hostile behaviour (11.79%) are the common kinds of GBV among SMEs. Individuals’ main costs of GBV (83.1%) are lack of job motivation, lower self-esteem, despair, anger, anxiety, and irritability. GBV generates an unfavorable working environment (73.3%) in SMEs, and contributes to a cycle of poverty (59.5%) in society due to the high expense of legal and criminal justice (51.3%) and rehabilitation (40.5%). The study concludes that workplace GBV is a structural problem that harms the normal functioning of an individual, the enterprise, and the working environment, and recommends mitigation through research, awareness creation, and the strengthening of GBV mitigation infrastructure.

Abstract: Substance abuse has become a style of life in the current generation. Research shows that young people today take substance abuse uncontrollably and irresponsibly. This is a source of agony in addict’s family psychological wellbeing. This study focused on the extent of substance abuse of a relative on family psychological wellbeing. The study was conducted in Mathari Substance Rehabilitation centre in Nairobi, Kenya. The objective of the study was to assess the extent to which substance abuse of a relative affects the psychological wellbeing of family. The study was guided by Family Systems Theory (FST) (Bowen, 1990). A mixed methods approach concurrent design was adopted. The study population was 170. The age range for all respondents was 14 to 55 years. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used. A sample size of 119 participants was engaged. Questionnaire and a semi-structure interview guide were used. Participants included patients with substance use disorder, staff and family members. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics univariate while qualitative data was thematically analysed in line with the objective of the study and backed with narratives. The findings are beneficial to family members, the discipline of psychology and the entire society. Results showed that rehabilitee’s family member is socially affected through discrimination, physically through domestic violence, financially, and psychologically trough trauma, stress and depression resulting to psychological wellbeing disorientation. Recommendations were; training of more psychologists /counsellors, employment of counsellors, inclusion of rehabilitee’s family programmes such as family support groups for psychological wellbeing therapy.

Abstract: This study investigated the effectiveness of negotiation as a means of addressing family conflict in Kajiado North Sub-County by looking at major causes of family conflict, role of negotiation in addressing family conflict and how to enhance negotiation in addressing family conflict. The study was anchored on Social Learning Theory, Family System Theory and Behavioral Exchange Theory. The study adopted mixed research design and used a sample size of 420 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analyzed through descriptive statistics with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 20. The study revealed that domestic violence and infidelity, poor communication, fight over resources, drug abuse and gender roles disagreement as well as infertility and interference from in-laws/relatives/kin were major causes of family conflict. Further, findings showed that negotiation was crucial in calming emotions of conflicting parties, establishing root cause of the problem and helping family members in a conflict to reach a compromise thereby promoting amicable solution to family conflicts. However, findings revealed that adoption of negotiation in resolving family conflict was faced with a number of challenges such as retrogressive culture, taboos and traditions, gender imbalance, double standard and personality traits of warring parties. This study recommended tailored awareness and sensitization campaigns on the use of negotiation as well as introduction of consultation desks in key institutions such as Churches, Chiefs/local administration offices where family members in conflict can get assistance from trained counselors, family therapists and mediators in addressing cases of conflict.

Abstract: Women face difficulties adapting back into their families after incarceration. Gender-responsive programs build an atmosphere that provides a sense of the realities of women’s lives and discusses women’s issues. The study sought to determine whether rehabilitation programs address parenting distress and family reunification of incarcerated women. Adopting a cross-sectional descriptive research design the study sampled 384 women offenders and 5 officers in charge of the selected women prisons in Kenya. Also included were representatives from NGOs and FBOs partnering with Kenya prions in rehabilitating women offenders and director rehabilitation service in Kenya prisons. The data was obtained using selfadministered questionnaires. The study also utilized a simple random sampling technique to select respondents for the study and a purposive sampling design to sample the number of women prisons and the key informants. Based on the stress level categories on parental scale index by Abidin (1995), the study findings affirmed that incarcerated women in Kenya prisons suffer from parental distress. This was indicated by a cumulative mean of 42.69. The assumption of the PSI scale is that typical parental stress among incarcerated mothers is between 15- 80. The reintegration of incarcerated women is marred with challenges such as stigma, loneliness, unemployment, broken marriage/relationship, rejection from family and/or children, financial constraints, drugs/substance abuse etc. These challenges increase the chances of recidivism among justreleased incarcerated women. Therefore the study recommends Kenya prison service to implement gender-informed programs such as parenting and relationship programs, trauma informed programs.