PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH AMONG REFUGEES IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The psychological distress caused by social and environmental factors like political violence, terrorism, war, sexual abuse, natural and human disaster is alarming and disheartening, resulting to root causes of severe psychological problems such as trauma, depression, anxiety, stress, shattering people’s sense of security, creating separation of family members from their homestead and forcing them into migration from their home of origin; rendering them hopeless and helpless. The main objective of this study is to assess the influence of psychological distress on posttraumatic growth among refugees in Nairobi County, Kenya. This study adopted the Posttraumatic Growth Theory (PTG) and Cognitive Behavioural Theory of Trauma. The study used embedded mixed method research design, adopting correlational and phenomenological research design. The study target population was male and female refugees from 18-59 years of age. Total sample size of 133 from which 120 participants was selected using simple random sampling for the quantitative strand; and 13 respondents (5 officials and 8 refugees) using convenience/purposive sampling for the qualitative strand. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTG1), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PTSD Checklist- PCL-5) were used to collect quantitative data, while an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data from the participants. The researcher used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) specifically the simple bivariate statistics and Pearson correlation analysis, to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis where by themes were extracted. The study found a weak negative relationship between the level of anxiety, depression, PTSD and posttraumatic growth. Finally, intervention used by Jesuits Refugee Service implies that continuous psychological and psychosocial assistance are considered as coping skills that facilitate posttraumatic growth.