Effects of Relative’s Substance Use Disorder on Family Psychological Wellbeing: Mathari Rehabilitation Centre Nairobi, Kenya

Nelliahs W. Wanjiru, Dr. Josephine Muthami, Dr. Wilkister Shanyisha
Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Email: waithiranjuguna@yahoo.com

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.