Social Influences Of Drug Abuse Among Youth And Young Deliquents In Ruchu Zone;Kandara Disrict Kenya

ABSTRACT

The m'ior purpose of the study was to describe the social influences of drug abuse

among the youth and young delinquents in Ruchu Zone; Kandara District, Kenya. The

study was a quantitative, descriptive ColTelational survey, using a sample of ninety two

youth selected using purposive and convenient sampling techniques. a self administered

questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using SPSS 's means, standard

deviations and the Pearson Linear COITelation coefficient. The study tested three

hypotheses to the effect that; environmental, psychological and cultural factors explain

different levels of drug abuse among the youth and young delinquents in Ruchu Zone,

Kandara District, Kenya. The findings revealed that majority of the youth in the sample

are rare abusers of drugs (mean index = 1.4583). Results found; i) a positive insignificant

relationship between; a) environmental factors and awareness a bout drug abuse (p =

0.365; r = 0.098); and b) a negative insignificant conelation between environmental

factors and drugs commonly abused (r = -0.007; p = 0.952); ii) a negative insignificant

relationship between; a) psychological factors and awareness (r = -0.2; p = 0.59); and b)

a positive insignificant relationship between psychological factors and drugs commonly

abused (r = 0.091; p = 0.392); iii) a positive insignificant relationship between; a) cultural

factors and awareness (r = 0.237; p = 0.25); b) cultural factors and drugs commonly

abused (r = 0.138; p =0.195). the researcher concluded that environmental, psychological

and cultural factors are not responsible for drug abuse among the youth and young

delinquents in Ruchu Zone,Kandara District,Kenya. In this particular sample. The

researcher recommended that parents should always be mindful of the places where they

build their homes and they should continue to sensitize their children about the dangers of

abusing drugs, readers should get better ways of managing their stress, choose friends

who would influence them positively, people should always be careful while celebrating

important days, mass media should put on more programmes which would help to

sensitize the youth on the dangers of abusing drugs and govemment should put in place more tight rules to punish the youth who abuse drugs.