Effects Of Alcohol Dependency Among University Students On Academic Performance In Maasai Mara University

Abstract

The consequences of heavy or ‘binge‘ drinking pose serious risks for drinkers, but also

for those in the immediate environment. This study therefore, was to investigate whether

alcohol dependency has any negative influences on the academic performance on those

who depend on it using the following objectives: to establish the causes of alcohol

dependency, to investigate the effects of alcohol dependency on academic performance

and to find out the economic constraints incurred by students as a result of alcohol

dependency and how that influences their academic performance for undergraduate

students in Maasai Mara University. This is important because the student fraternities of

Maasai Mara University were enlightened and many respondents who participated in this

study gained more knowledge on the topic. This study also helped the administrators to

put in place the right measures to control consumption of alcohol within the University to

control consumption within the university and improve the quality of education. Two

theories were broadly discussed in this study. They include the behavioral theory and

medical theory but for the purposes of this study, they were regarded as models. This

study was be influenced by various dependent and independent factors as shown in the

conceptual framework. Without these factors, this study would be impossible, as they are

what facilitates alcohol consumption and affects the result of the study. This is a

descriptive, cross sectional study utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods of

data collection while purposive sampling was used in data collection. This study present

two types of data, that is, primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected

through administration of questionnaires while the secondary data was obtained from

previous works done by our previous researchers. Data from the questionnaire was

entered, checked and analyzed using SPSS. The results were then presented in form of

tables, graphs, and pie charts. Bivariate analysis was performed in order to examine

associations between independent variables and dependent variables. The findings of this

study can also be used by NACADA as the main body of drug control to understand the

current situation in Kenyan Universities.