Influence of Mentorship Programs on the Psychological Well-Being of Form Three High School Students in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Adolescent psychological well-being in Kenyan secondary schools remains a critical concern, with 45% of Form Three students in Nairobi County reporting moderate-to-high stress and 30% exhibiting depressive symptoms. Although, this burden, mentorship programs have mainly been focused on academic achievement and not necessarily psychological needs. This study used a mixed method approach which involved examination of the effects of mentorship

programmes on psychological well-being of Form Three (N=187) students in Nairobi sub- counties in Kenya. Structured questionnaires were used for collecting data from students (n

=130), semi-structured interviews from teachers (n = 35) and focus group discussions from mentors (n = 22) with the application of SCT, EST & SDT theories. Results showed that the correlation was significant for psychological well being (p < .001) with all four independent variables. The highest positive correlation (r = .714, p < .001) was with mentor characteristics, and implementation strategies (r = .683) and program structure (r = .621) showed the highest rank. Barriers to participation had a moderate negative correlation (r = -.578, p < .001). The four predictors explained 67.4% of the variance in psychological well-being (R2 = .674, F(4, 169) = 87.41, p < .001). Mentor characteristics emerged as the strongest individual predictor (β = .389), followed by implementation strategies (β = .332), programme structure (β = .291), and barriers to participation as a significant negative predictor (β = –.248). The findings of this study strongly suggest that the relational aspect of mentoring (trust, empathy, emotional intelligence) is an important factor in the psychological well-being of students. This study concludes that mentorship programmes exert a statistically significant positive influence on the psychological well-being of Form Three students, with mentor relational qualities particularly trust, empathy, and emotional intelligence being the strongest predictor (β = .389, r = .714). This study recommends that the Ministry of Education establish national minimum standards for school-based mentorship, mandate structured mentor training in emotional intelligence and trauma-informed approaches, and implement multi-strategy barrier reduction programmes to ensure equitable access for all students.