Influence of Blended Family Structures on the Quality of Family Relationships: A Case of Students in Selected Private Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Quality family relationships are those characterized by strong social support among members, while blended families contain step-parents and/or step-children. This study assessed the influence of blended family structures on the quality of family relationships: a case of students in selected private universities in Nairobi County, Kenya. It was guided by four objectives; to: establish the prevalence of blended family structures, examine differences in family relationship quality between blended and non-blended families, examine the influence of blended family structure, and to explore strategies for enhancing the quality of family relationships. Family Structural Theory and the Attachment Theory informed this study. Convergent parallel mixed methods research design was employed targeting 32000 students aged 18-35 years from 4 purposively selected private universities. Cochran's formula helped get a sample size of 380 students. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires adapted from the Family Assessment Device (FAD) and Family Environment Scale (FES). The tool's validity was assessed using both face and content validity, while Cronbach's alpha was used to measure reliability. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 31 helped in analyzing quantitative data, while qualitative data were thematically analysed. . From the findings, 78.7% of the respondents were from nonblended families, while 21.3% were from blended families. From the blended ones, the majority were raised by both step-parents (40%), followed by step-siblings (36.7%), step-father and real biological mother(15%), and lastly biological father and stepmother (8.3%). Additionally, family structure had a significant influence on relationship quality (p < .001), with non-complex blended families reporting lower scores in communication (M difference = 2.44, SE = 0.424), and emotional support (M difference = 2.167, SE = 0.454). Strategies used to enhance family quality included communication (35%), emotional support (31.88%), quality time (28.44%), and professional counselling (9.63%), with 90.49% endorsing counselling. These findings show that family structure shapes students’ psychosocial and interpersonal experiences and thus recommends private universities to establish counselling and peer support for blended-family students, as 90.49% endorsed counselling and these families reported lower relationship quality.