Strategies for Adjustment to Loss and Grief among Selected Kenyan Orphaned Secondary School Students

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate Strategies for adjustment to Loss and Grief among orphaned Kenyan secondary school students. The study was informed by Kübler-Ross Cycle model of loss and grief. Qualitative method research approach was used and with it, concurrent triangulation design was adopted. The target population consisted of 47 schools, 20 focus group discussion students, 10 personal interviews and 1,245 Form three orphaned students from public secondary schools in Kisumu Central Sub-County. A sample size of 20 adolescents that engaged in focus group discussion and 10 personal interviews from 15 secondary schools were sampled for the study using purposive sampling technique. Qualitative data wasanalyzed using thematic framework. Trustworthiness of qualitative data was ensured by analyzing the framework as fronted by Lincoln &Guba. The study findings revealed that there were no statistically significant gender difference on adjustment to loss and grief. The study recommended that schools should introduce adapting-parenting model among teachers to take care of the orphaned students.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s3p532