The Relationship between Destructive Communications And Divorce In Nairobi -Kenya A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationshi p between destructi ve comm unication and divorce in Nairobi. The findings of the study were to be taught to the clergy, couples. premari tal counselors and fami ly and marital therapists with an aim of decreasi ng divorce rates i n Nairobi. The study a imed to identi fy destruct ive comm unication styles i n marriages in Nai robi, the potenti al causes of increased d ivorce rates and the relationshi p between destructive communi cation and d i vorce i n Nai robi. An unbiased sample of 50 participants, 25 male and 25 female was drawn from Makadara constit uency one of the constituencies in Nairobi. The target sample relevant to t his study was d ivorced ad ults, aged 25 years and above and l iterate in English language. The partici pant contact time was approximately 45 minutes. The researcher cond ucted the study with one pa rt icipant at a time at different times so as to maintain confidential ity. The purpose of the study was explained, voluntary informed consent from partici pants obtained and q uest ionnai res self admi nistered by partici pants followed by debrief. Two questionnai res were used to collect data. The first questionna i re which was based on the four horsemen of the apocalypse focused on destructive communication. The second questionnai re focused on the rel ationship between destructive communicati on and divorce. A score of four and above yes responses on each of the destructive comm unication styles i n the first question nai re meant the respondent was a victi m of destructive communication. A score of six and above yes responses on the first four items of the second questionnai re meant destructi ve communicati on contributed to divorce. A choice of destructi ve communication in the fifth question as one of the top two causes of d ivorce meant destructive communication was one of the main causes of d ivorce. From the find ings, destructi ve communication styles i n mar riages i n Nai robi were ident i fied and i t was reveal ed by a ffirmati ve responses (by majori ty of the respondents) to the items endorsed on destructive styles inventory. The most highl y rated potent i al causes of increased d i vorce rates i n Nairobi were destructive commu nication and emotional abuse. A relationship between destructive communication styles such as criticism, contempt, defensi veness and stonewalling and divorce was identified. The study objectives were met and since this was a pilot study, further research was needed to feel the gaps in the understand ing about the relationship between destructive communication and d ivorce i n Kenya so as to red uce the rates of divorce.