Abstract: This study examined the effect of a structured emotional regulation skills module on mental wellness among youth aged 13-24 in Kapseret Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, identified as the psychoeducation component with the strongest empirical support within a broader four-component parent study. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design combined a quasi-experimental comparison of an intervention group (n = 20) and a non-equivalent control group (n = 20) with phenomenological in-depth interviews (n = 5). The intervention group completed a five-week psychoeducation programme; both groups then completed a five-point Likert questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha = .96 for the emotional regulation subscale). Simple linear regression showed that emotional regulation skills significantly predicted mental wellness (beta = .54, t = 5.10, p < .001), the strongest association among the four psychoeducation components tested. The intervention group scored substantially higher on emotional regulation (M = 4.76, SD = 0.22) than the control group (M = 2.93, SD = 0.17), and interview data converged with this result, describing a shift from impulsive reaction to reflective pausing and constructive dialogue. Emotional regulation training appears to be a high-yield, low-cost component for youth mental health programming in similar Kenyan community settings, with direct relevance for teachers, counsellors, and programme administrators designing time- and resource-constrained interventions. The findings support prioritising emotional regulation content in community-delivered psychoeducation curricula for non-clinical, peri-urban youth populations in Kenya and comparable East African settings.
Keywords: Emotional regulation, Kenya, Mental wellness, Psychoeducation, Youth.
Title: Effects of Emotional Regulation Skills on Promoting Mental Wellness among Youth in Kapseret Sub-County, Kenya
Author: Otilia Chepkirui Kessio, Lucy J. Kibet, Peter Ngeny
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 3, July 2026 - September 2026
Page No: 390-397
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 22-September-2026
