The Role of Conformity to Masculinity Norms on Alcohol Use among Male Teachers in Public Secondary Schools in Murang’a County, Kenya.

Abstract

Alcohol addiction is a problem that continuesto affect the global population. Being male has been reported as higher risk to alcohol consumption compared to being female. This has been linked to many male related factors with limited studies done on the role of conformity to masculinity on alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse is considerably rampant among teachers and has impacted negatively on teaching and learning especially in public schools where productivity of teachers is extremely low, giving rise to a worrying trend. This study sought to establish the relationship between conformity to masculinity norms and alcohol abuse among male teachers in Murang’a County, Kenya. The study adopted the correlational research design targeting 2642 male teachers employed by teacher service commission in secondary schools in Murang’a County with a sample size of 422 participants. The quantitative data was collected using standardized masculine behaviour scale (MBS) and alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) selfadministered questionnaires. The study found statistically significant correlation between conformity to masculinity norms and alcohol use disorders on all the domains of the Masculine Behavior Scale. This study may be significant to rehabilitation centers in developing and implementing men-centered interventions for treatment and control of alcohol consumption among patients.