FAMILY-OF-ORIGIN CONFLICT RESOLUTION PRACTICES AND QUALITY ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS’ STUDENTS IN UASIN-GISHU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

This study examined the influence of family-of-origin conflict resolution practices on the quality of romantic relationships among students in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The research was prompted by persistent relationship challenges among students, including trust issues, poor communication, and ineffective conflict resolution. Guided by family systems theory, the study adopted a convergent parallel mixed methods design, integrating cross-sectional survey and phenomenological approaches. The target population comprised 11,306 individuals, from which a sample of 392 respondents was selected using stratified, simple random, and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews, with validity ensured through construct and content measures, and reliability tested using Cronbach’s alpha. Analysis involved descriptive statistics frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, alongside linear regression to test hypotheses. Findings indicated a statistically significant relationship between family-of-origin conflict resolution styles and the quality of students’ romantic relationships (R = 0.658, p < .001). The study concluded that conflict resolution practices learned within families of origin significantly shape romantic relationship outcomes among TVET students. It recommends targeted psychosocial support and counselling interventions for students from conflictual family backgrounds to mitigate intergenerational cycles of maladaptive relationship behaviours.