MATERNAL ATTACHMENT AMONG TEENAGE MOTHERS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
MATERNAL ATTACHMENT AMONG TEENAGE MOTHERS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
Brilliant Nyaboke Momanyi - Master of Arts, Counseling Psychology, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Esther Gachara (PhD) - Lecturer Department of Psychology, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Although teenage motherhood affects the entire spectrum of society, it is becoming increasingly evident that teenagers in rural urban areas are at high risk of becoming mothers. Maternal attachment in teenage mothers presents itself with adverse effects on the well-being of the teenage mothers and children. Existing literature shows that attachment styles of children born by teenage mothers have been perceived to be insecure. Existing studies have majorly focused on different attachment styles of children, but little is known on how teenage mothers perceive the attachment styles of their children in relation to their maternal attachment. The study aimed to establish the levels of maternal attachment among teenage mothers with children ages one to six years in Nairobi city county Kenya. The study was guided by attachment theory and psychosocial development theory. The study utilized a correlational research design to establish relationships. Research instruments were adapted from the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale by Condon (2015) and the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-RS) questionnaire by Fraley, Waller, and Brennan (2000). The study’s target population was teenage mothers with children one to six years, between ages thirteen to nineteen years old living in Kibra, Nairobi City, County, Kenya. The study incorporated purposive sampling techniques to sample 156 participants based on Cochran’s formular. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was utilized to determine the strength and direction of the relationship between the variables. Multiple regression model was used to control the influence of intervening variables in the association of maternal attachment and attachment styles. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. The research findings show that, maternal attachment among teenage mothers significantly influenced their perception of their children attachment styles. Mothers with secure attachment behaviours perceived their children as securely attached. The findings were significant to teenage mothers, the Ministry of Health, ministry of education and AMREF &SHOFCO clinics in formulating policies to help the teenage mothers on establishing a perception of teenage mothers on attachment styles towards their children.
