Relationship between Parental Dysfunctionality and Adolescent Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depressive Disorders in Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

The study investigated parental dysfunctionality defined in this study as presence of mental disorders; Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depressive Disorders (DD) Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), and perceived maladaptive parental behaviors as influencing development of PTSD and DD in the adolescents. Schools in both rural-urban and rural-rural settings in Bungoma County were identified through purposive sampling. The study recruited 169 adolescents and identified one of their parents/guardians, giving a total sample size of 338 participants. The instruments used included: research structured socio-demographic questionnaire, Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), Life Events Checklist-5 and the EMBU-C. Data analysis utilized both descriptive and inferential statistics. More females (71.6% adolescents and 59.8% mothers) were recruited into the study. Most participants lived in very low-income situations (77.5%). Most women (mothers) experienced IPV (70.4%). The prevalence of mental disorders was very high in participants: PTSD in parents 73.4% while in adolescents 80.4%; DD in parents was 49.7% while in adolescents 67.5%. Parental age was significantly associated with PTSD [χ2 (4) = 11.489, p= 0.022].There was a positive correlation between: parental IPV and occurrence of DD (r=0.416; p< 0.001); parental IPV and occurrence of PTSD (r=0.325; p<0.001); parental PTSD and parental DD (r=0.643; p<0.001); parental PTSD and adolescent PTSD (r=0.152, p=0.05); parental PTSD and adolescent DD (r=0.152; p=0.05); adolescence DD and adolescent PTSD (r=0.496; p<0.001) and parental alcohol use and parental PTSD (r=0.710; p<0.001). The relationship between parenting styles and adolescent PTSD showed that fathers’ parenting styles significantly associated with adolescent PTSD [χ2 (3) = 8.362, p=0.039]. The results indicate that there is no correlation between parental dysfunctionality and adolescent PTSD and DD. The fathers’ parenting style was significantly associated with adolescent PTSD. The researcher recommended community-based trauma intervention strategies by clinicians, teachers, public health officials and government administrators in supporting the mental wellbeing of the adolescents. Peer-to-peer counselling as well as mental health education in rural high schools.