Psychosocial Challenges of Alcohol Abuse and Its Effect on the Marital Relationship in Ainamoi Division, Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

In Kenya recent community studies indicate (nacada,2012) indicate significant alcohol consumption resulting in many deaths. Despite prevalence of alcohol abuse, few studies have been done on the challenges of alcohol abuse and its effect on the non-drinking spouse. Most past studies on effect on alcohol abuse on spousal relationship have focused on the role of spouse on facilitating or curtailing alcohol abuse of their spouses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges of alcohol abuse and its effect in the marital relationship. The study was carried out in Ainamoi Division, Kericho County. To realize the purpose of the study a descriptive survey design was used and data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and focused group discussion. The target populations were people whose spouses’ abuse alcohol and were selected using stratified and snowballing sampling procedures. The division was stratified into urban and rural so as to ensure comprehensive coverage of the area. Snowballing sampling was used to identify participants who led the researchers to others. A sample population of 144 respondents was used. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data with the help of the Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS). The qualitative data was summarized into themes in line with the study objectives and thematic analysis done.  The research found out that alcohol abuse causes many challenges for example it causes failure in communication, financial problems, resentments, domestic violence among others which affect the spousal relationship. The research recommends that there is need to sensitize non-drinking spouses on the psychosocial challenges of alcohol abuse on the spousal relationship. There is also need for establishment of counseling centers in more places in order the address the alcohol problem. This would assist non-alcoholic spouses to cope with alcohol abuse in a more effective way.

Keywords: Challenges, psychosocial, alcohol abuse, spousal relationship, Kenya