Browsing by Author "Stephen Asatsa"

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    Death Attitudes as Possible Predictors of Death Preparedness across Lifespan among Nonclinical Populations in Nairobi County, Kenya
    (ResearchGate, 2020-08) Stephen Asatsa
    Death is an important part of lifespan development, yet it remains trivialized or feared across many cultures. The perpetuation of death as a taboo subject continues to negatively affect the society. Death anxiety inhibits death preparedness which could affect the quality of dying. The pool of unclaimed assets held by different organizations continues to increase, intestate deaths remain high, and post death conflicts continue to affect many families. Aims: This study intended to examine death attitudes as possible predictors of death preparedness and explore the rationale for various death attitudes across lifespan in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: The study adopted the mixed‑methods explanatory sequential research design combining cross‑sectional and phenomenological designs. The study targeted young adults, middle‑aged adults, and seniors with a sample of 335 participants selected using multistage, stratified, and extreme case sampling designs. Data were collected using the Death Attitude Profile‑Revised and interview guides. Analysis: Data were analyzed using univariate and thematic analyses. Results: The findings indicated that negative death attitudes declined with increase in age, whereas positive death attitudes increased with increase in age. Some of the reasons for negative death attitudes included threatening dying process, unfulfilled life goals, fear of hell, unresolved past deaths, and families with young children among others. The reasons for positive death attitude included reuniting with deceased loved ones and peers, meeting the creator, and end to a prolonged miserable life and fulfilled past life. Conclusion: This study implies that mental health practitioners need to target younger adults with death education programs to promote death preparedness and quality dying. For the older adults, addressing life regrets, family conflicts, and past unresolved deaths would significantly improve the quality of dying.
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    Integration to families of origin and the psychosocial adjustment of orphans in Bagamoyo, Tanzania
    (ResearchGate, 2020-03-31) Severine P. Ascharia; Stephen Asatsa
    Integrating children from orphanages back to their family of origin remains a challenge to many children’s homes in Tanzania. This study aimed at investigating the psychosocial challenges faced in the process of integrating the children back to their homes of origin. The study was guided by two research objectives namely, to examine the integration procedures used by orphanages and to establish strategies to help orphans adjust psychosocially in their family of origin in Bagamoyo District of Tanzania. The target population of the study was 57 orphans and 12 administrators from three orphanages in Bagamoyo District in Tanzania together with their 73 guardians. From this population a sample of 19 participants was chosen using purposive sampling, automatic inclusion and simple random sampling to participate in the study. Automatic inclusion was used to select administrators and simple random sampling was used to select relatives. The study employed the qualitative phenomenological research design. Data were collected using semi structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The collected data were analysed using thematic analysis backed by narratives from the participants. The results showed that integration of orphans into their families of origin was faced with challenges such as inappropriate procedures used by administrators in engaging orphans with their families, lack of proper procedures like debriefing, psycho-education and training for both relatives and the orphans. The study findings demonstrated that the integration process could be enhanced by involving local authorities such as chiefs, religious leaders, children officers and facilitating regular visits to the home of origin by the children. The findings may be relevant in guiding policy on the orphan integration to the family of origin. The study recommended that the administrators should start early the integration process, should involve as many authorities as possible during integration and also help orphans to bond with relatives early to avoid conflicts that may arise during integration.