Factors Leading Young Christian Adults to Elope in the Anglican Church of Kenya, Taveta East Archdeaconry

Abstract

This study sought to establish factors leading young Christian adults to the practice of eloping among youth in the Anglican Church, Taveta East Archdeaconry. It was guided by the Human Psychosocial Development Theory, Ecological Model Theory, and Moral Development Theory. It adopted a descriptive research design. The target population was eloping aged 20 - 40 years, 5 clergies, and 61 parents. The study used a purposive sampling method. The study’s sample size was 176. Face-to-face interviews were used for the clergy. Focus group discussions were used for the parents. The questionnaires' accuracy and reliability were verified by the inter-rater method. The analyses made use of the statistical package for social sciences version 28. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, mean, and percentages. Qualitative data was organized into themes for analysis. The study findings include; factors such as; peer influence, financial difficulties in a family, little guidance and counseling in church; parents’ support for eloping practice; phone; youth failing to embrace the Christian faith, which contribute to the practice of eloping among the Christian youth in Taveta East Archdeaconry. Language barrier posed a challenge to some respondents. Some were more conversant with Kiswahili than English prompting the translation of questionnaires from English to Kiswahili. Questionnaires require more time to reach the respondents, filling and returning them. This was solved by early communication to clergy and timely distribution. The number of respondents per focus group in some parishes was less than expected. This was solved by increasing the number of respondents in another station.