Relationship between school environment, coping strategies and psychological wellbeing among junior school learners in Tharaka nithi county, kenya

Abstract

Junior School, a phase of competence based curriculum in Kenya bridges the gap between upper primary and senior secondary schooling. Its implementation though still in the nascent stage continues to face a number of challenges .Some negatively impacting on the psychological wellbeing of the learners. Studies that seek to provide solutions to the challenges are therefore necessary to contribute in providing solutions and thus contributing to a turnaround in the psychological wellbeing of junior school learners. This study sought to establish the relationship between school environment, coping stategies and psychological well-being among learners in Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey and correlational research designs. The target population for this study were the learners in Junior Schools in Tharaka Nithi, County, Kenya. The study sampled 377 respondents comprising of 328 grade 8 learners, 42 grade 8 class teachers and 7 Sub- County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers. Stratified sampling was used to identify the schools of different categories, purposive sampling was used to select the Sub-County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers while simple random sampling was used at the school level to choose grade 8 learners and class teachers. Data was collected using a psychometric test instrument for the learners, a questionnaire for the class teachers and an interview schedule for the Sub County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers. Validity of research instruments was ensured by seeking expert opinions from Chuka University supervisors and other research experts. Reliability was ascertained through Cronbach analysis of data obtained from a pilot study carried among 53 respondents sampled from the s neighboring Kitui County. Qualitative data obtained through interviews were analyzed thematically while quantitative data was analyzed descriptively and inferentially with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27 computer software. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to describe the existing relationship between the variables while study hypotheses were tested using logistic regression at 0.05 level of significance. The study established a positive and significant relationship between school environment and psychological wellbeing of junior school learners in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. School physical environment as an aspect of school environment was found to be positively and significantly related to junior school learners‘ psychological wellbeing while schools‘ social and emotional environment were negatively and significantly related with learners‘ psychological wellbeing. The study also established that coping strategies such as problem focus and social support services moderates the relationship between school environment and psychological wellbeing of junior school learners. It is therefore recommended that public junior school managements in collaboration with other education stakeholders should put in place strategies aimed at strengthening aspects of school environment in order to foster junior school learners‘ psychological wellbeing. Specifically, they should put in place strategies aimed at improving the quality and quantity of junior school physical facilities and learning resources, launch and monitor turn-around initiatives aimed at fostering quality school social environment and design and implement turn-around interventions focusing on the junior school emotional environment to enable learners cope better with the emotional environment. They should also improve programs that aid junior school learners to cope better with the possible adverse influence of school environment on their psychological wellbeing.