The Role of Counseling on Delinquency among selected Secondary Schools, Ngando, Nairobi County, Kenya

The prevalence and growth of delinquency among selected secondary schools in Ngando, Nairobi County, is causing growing concern. The goal of this study was to look into the role of counseling on delinquency among students in selected secondary schools in Nairobi County, Ngando. The study was guided by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory of Motivation and used an embedded mixed methods design. The study’s objectives were to assess the prevalence of delinquency and to investigate the types of counseling used among students in Ngando’s selected secondary schools. The target population consisted of 400 students and teachers, and the sample consisted of 200 respondents chosen using random and purposive sampling methods. However, only 189 participants were able to take part in the study which includes 185 students and 4 teachers. To collect data, the researcher used both questionnaires and interview guides. The collected data was analyzed in light of the research objectives. The researcher used frequency tables, standard deviations, and Pearson correlations to analyze quantitative data. Using the research objective themes, the qualitative data was presented in narrative form. According to the study, the most common types of delinquent behavior among students were violence, drug abuse, substance use, stealing, truancy, and unhealthy indecent relationships, while the most common types of counselling used were individual counselling, group counselling, and career counselling, with family counselling being rarely used. The study also found a link between different types of counseling and a reduction in delinquent behavior among students. The study recommended the use of trained psychotherapists in secondary schools to reduce and treat delinquent behaviors.