Influence of Alcohol and Drug Abuse on Family Cohesion: A Case of Selected Rehabilitation Programs in Kiambu, Kenya

Abstract

Consequences of alcohol and drug abuse (ADA) not only affect the consumer but also the family members. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of ADA on family cohesion with a view to establish how this happens among families of recovering clients in selected rehabilitation programs in Kiambu County. The Circumplex Model of Marital and Family systems was used as the theoretical framework. This study used a correlational research design. The target population consisted of all 360 clients admitted in NACADA registered rehabilitation centres in Kiambu County. A sample of 114 respondents was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected using a questionnaire. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and moderated regression technique while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study established that alcohol was the main drug of choice among ADA patients, followed in order of popularity by tobacco, marijuana and khat. A moderately high mean score of 3.35 was established on a scale of 1 to 5 with respect to family cohesion. A weak negative correlation was observed between ADA and family cohesion (r=-.178, p>.05). A positive correlation was established between substance use in the extended family and ADA (r=.359, p<.05). There was no statistically significant interaction effect between family risk and protective factors and ADA on family cohesion (B=-.026, p>.05). Neither was there a statistically significant main effect of either ADA ((B=-.029, p>.05) or family risk and protective factors (B=-.217, p>.05) on family cohesion. One unit increase in alcohol and substance abuse explained 0.104 unit reduction in family cohesion to a statistically insignificant degree (B=-.104, p>.05). It was found that ADA significantly predicted family changes and adaptation whereby one unit increase in ADA was associated with 0.226 increase in family changes and adaptation (B=0.226,p<.05). However, changes and adaptations in family systems did not significantly mediate between ADA and family cohesion, R2=.025, F(1)= 2.005, p>.05. Social support was a salient theme drawn from qualitative findings. The study concluded that young male adults were most affected by ADA. Alcohol addiction was the main disease that rehabilitation centers were treating. Families of clients recovering from ADA were generally cohesive. They were characterized by a degree of optimal functioning. However, rigidity and deficiencies in communication were manifest. Further incidences of ADA in the extended family was a significant risk factor that needed management. Alcohol and drug abuse had limited impact on family cohesion, though the impact on family changes and adaptations in family systems was adverse. The study recommended that rehabilitation centers should not only focus on treating rehab clients but also become a support system to enable family systems to accommodate changes and adapt positively to the inevitable changes in the family. Future research was proposed to compare and contrast the dynamics of ADA and family cohesion using female rehab client samples.