AN ANALYSIS OF CHRISTIAN UNION STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF FACTORS INFLUENCING CULTISM IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Abstract

Studies show that cultism is prevalent and increasing among students in universities with growing concern due to its destructive results such as suicides, drug abuse, crimes, unrest, homicide, withdrawal from family, academic malpractices, failure, attrition, psychological and financial exploitation, among others. The purpose of this study was to analyze the Christian Union (CU) students’ perception of factors influencing cultism in public universities in Kenya. The specific objectives were to analyze the CU students’ perception of family background, socio-psychological manipulation, sense of belonging, theological grounding, and peer pressure as factors influencing cultism in public universities in Kenya. The study employed a mixed method research design and was guided by Bounded Choice Theory. The target population was 55,600 Christian Union students in public universities in Kenya, while the accessible population was 10,900 Christian Union students in six public universities in Kenya. A sample of 220 Christian Union students was selected through simple random and stratified sampling methods, while 60 small group Bible study leaders and 6 CU patrons were selected through purposive sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire, focused group discussion and interview schedules. The study findings based on the regression analysis showed that the Christian Union students perceived the factors as influencing cultism in this order of strength: a sense of belonging (β=0.222; p<0.05),theological grounding (β=0.194; p<0.05),family background (β=0.186; p<0.05),peer pressure (β=0.180; p<0.05) and socio-psychological manipulation (β=0.160; p<0.05). The study concludes that family background can determine a student’s vulnerability to cultism, cult members take advantage of students psychological anguish by posing to provide solutions to all their problems but manipulate them; cults prey on fragile learners who are emotionally exposed, lonely and seeking for identity; university students who lack adequate spiritual and biblical instruction may be recruited into cults, and cults use peers to source and retain recruits. The study recommends that families should be educated on the dangers of cultism, encouraged to study the Bible, and the freshmen be trained on critical thinking to discern and avoid deception of cultism to prevent recruitment. Moreover, the university Chaplains and CU Patrons should be facilitated to monitor the preachers who come to the University. The CU in universities should develop internal policies to attract and retain their members so as to curb cultism.