Influence of Teacher-Student Relationships on Learners' Loneliness in Single Gender and Co-educational Schools in Murang'a County, Kenya

Abstract

The influence of teacher-student relationships is a fundamental variable in schools that impact strongly on students' psychosocial dimension. Available literature indicates that teacher-student relationship significantly impacts on learners' loneliness. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of teacher-student relationship on learners' loneliness in single gender and co-educational schools in Murang'a County in Kenya.  The study was guided by the following specific objectives, which were to; a) compare loneliness scores by gender and school type in secondary schools in Murang'a County b) assess the influence of teacher-student relationship on learners' loneliness by gender and school type in Murang'a County in Kenya. The target population for the study was 12400 form two students from 312 public sub county secondary schools in Murang'a County. The study adopted the cross-sectional survey research design. The Krejecie & Morgan Table was used to select a sample of 435 participants out of 12,400 form two students from single gender and co-educational secondary schools in the County.  Data was collected using two standardized measurement instruments; the Perth aloneness-loneliness scale (PALs) while teacher-student relationship was measured using five statements with graded responses in a five point Likert scale developed for this study. Administration of the questionnaire was done during normal school days by trained research assistants.  Data was analysed using the descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid the Statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The findings of the study indicated that low sense of school belonging for girls in co-educational schools was correlated to high level of loneliness. From the findings of the study, it is concluded that there is need to strengthen the psychosocial support systems for learners in co-educational schools through mentorship, guidance, coaching and counselling to enable appropriate adjustments of the students in the schools so as to promote their learning outcomes.