An Evaluation Of Counselling Therapy Management For Enhancing Mental Health Among Undergraduate Students With Personality Disorders In Selected Kenyan Universities

Abstract

With the ever increasing number of disasters, personality disorders are inevitable. Personality disorders

manifest in at least ten different ways, and can usually be diagnosed and managed through psychotherapeutic

interventions. The prevalence of these disorders among undergraduate students and the degree to which

counselling therapies offered in universities are able to address them is an information gap this study set out

to fill. The main objective of the study was therefore to evaluate the effectiveness of the counselling therapy

management of personality disorders among undergraduate students with personality disorders in Kenyan

universities. Specific objectives were to examine the nature and extent of the personality disorders, examine

management of counselling therapies and facilities available, and evaluate effectiveness of counseling

services in addressing the personality disorders. Three theories that guided the study were Albert Bandura’s

Theory of Social Learning, Ian Pavlov’s Theory of Classical Conditioning and Carl Rogers’ Person-Centred

Therapy that were used to construct a conceptual framework depicting the likely relationship between the

independent and dependent variables. The study adopted an ex post facto and cross sectional survey research

designs in which descriptive and evaluative elements also featured. The target population comprised all

students, Deans of Students, Medical Officers and Counsellors in all universities in Kenya. Using the lottery

method, 4 universities were randomly selected, from which a study sample size of 404 respondents

comprises 384 students, 4 Deans of Students, 12 Student Counsellors and 4 Medical Officers were drawn.

The cluster, random and purposive sampling techniques were used. A pilot study was conducted to ensure

the validity and reliability of the research tools through pretesting/piloting. For validity, content validity was

determined in advance through discussions and consultations with university supervisors and expert

judgment of experienced practitioners in the field of counselling therapy. To ensure reliability of the tools,

testing was done using Cronbach Alpha’s split-half method. Reliability was calculated from the pilot sample

using SPSS and yielded a co-efficient of 0.72, which was deemed reliable as it had met the internal

consistency. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources (questionnaire, interview

schedule, observation schedule and literature from relevant offices). Quantitative data collected was

analyzed using an online site and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), then Microsoft Excel

and presented in graphs, pie charts, tables, percentages and digital photographs. Qualitative data from key

informants was received in verbatim, transcribed and recorded in themes. Data from observation checklist

was presented in a table and in plates. Findings revealed that there was a high prevalence of personality

disorders (94.8%) among undergraduate students, yet majority (83.6%) had never attended counselling, but

all those who had (16.4%), reported positively on the impact of counselling. This implies that counseling

was effective in helping them to address their interpersonal and emotional problems. The study also found

that 75% of the universities were understaffed with regard to the counsellors, and that counselling rooms

were poorly furnished. The study recommends that undergraduate students are screened for personality

disorders upon entry into university to detect presence of personality disorders and on exit, determine the

effect of therapies offered during the course of their studies. It also recommends that staffing be enhanced in

all Counselling Departments; better furniture be availed for counselling. It is also recommended that further

research be carried out to establish why few undergraduates do not use counseling services.