Authors : Jackson Njau Kinyanjui; Kagema Muriuki

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 11 - November

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25nov1191

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Abstract : Drug abuse among Kenyan youth has reached crisis levels, with lifetime prevalence exceeding 80% in many peri- urban areas. This cross-sectional study (n=125, 94.7% response rate) conducted in July 2025 in Matasia Catholic Parish, Ngong Sub-County, examined the role of parenting styles and socio-environmental factors in substance use among church- affiliated youth and parents. Findings revealed an alarming 81.6% lifetime prevalence of drug use — six times higher than the national youth average — with alcohol (52%), khat (41.6%), cigarettes (39.2%), cocaine (9.6%), and heroin (8.8%) reported. Authoritarian parenting (55.2%), poor parent–youth communication (76%), inconsistent monitoring (56.8%), parental modelling of substance use (35.2%), and easy drug access (93.6%) were significantly associated with higher substance use (p<0.05–p<0.001). Peer pressure (68%) and curiosity (57.6%) emerged as dominant triggers. Grounded in Social Influence Theory, Attachment Theory, and Baumrind’s Parenting Styles framework, the study proposes a culturally congruent, multi-level intervention model: (i) large-scale training to shift families toward authoritative parenting; (ii) quarterly church-led youth drug-awareness and mentorship programmes; and (iii) stricter enforcement of age-restriction laws and community policing. Implemented through existing Catholic parish structures and NACADA frameworks, these strategies offer a replicable, low-cost model with potential to reduce prevalence by 20–30% within 24 months.

Keywords : Parenting Styles, Drug Abuse, Youth, Peer Pressure, Authoritative Parenting, Faith-Based Interventions, Peri-Urban Kenya, Substance Abuse Prevention.

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