Efficacy of Peer-led Interventions on Substance Use among Female Undergraduate Students in Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Substance use has been on the rise among undergraduate students in universities in Kenya. This has raised concerns bearing in mind that universities in Kenya have put in place psychosocial interventions in a bid to address the menace. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of peer-led intervention programmes on substance use among female undergraduate students in universities in Nairobi County. The study was guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. An expost facto research design was employed in the study. The target population comprised of all female students in universities in Nairobi County. Proportionate random sampling technique was employed to select the sample. A sample of 351 female undergraduate students was selected for the study from a target population of 40,647 female undergraduate students. One (1) student counsellor from each of the 16 universities in Nairobi County also participated in the study. A semi-structured research questionnaire and an interview guide was used to facilitate collection of data. The content and face validity of the research instrument was determined by research experts in the School of Education at Laikipia University. The questionnaire was pilot-tested in one public and one private university in Machakos County, Kenya prior to its use in the main study with the view of determining its reliability. Cronbach’s alpha was used to estimate the reliability of the research instrument which yielded a coefficient greater than .7. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically, null hypothesis was tested using simple linear regression analysis at .05 level of significance. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study findings established that universities encouraged peer to peer counselling managed by peer leaders with the peer leaders first trained on substance use and the adverse consequences of substance use.