Occupational Stress and Coping Mechanisms among Morticians in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Morticians face unique occupational stressors due to repeated exposure to death, grief, and trauma, which may predispose them to high levels of occupational stress and psychological distress. This study sought to evaluate the coping strategies employed by morticians working in selected mortuaries in Nairobi County, Kenya. The objectives were to identify the adaptive and maladaptive coping mechanisms used, to explore the role of spirituality and social support in coping, and to assess implications for mental health interventions. A convergent mixed methods design was adopted to strengthen the reliability of findings by combining both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected using the Brief COPE Inventory (Carver, 1997) administered to 18 participants, while qualitative insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a purposively selected subset of morticians. Data analysis was conducted separately and then integrated during interpretation to allow for triangulation. The quantitative findings revealed a predominant reliance on adaptive coping strategies, including acceptance (90%), religion (90%), emotional support (84.29%), positive reframing (82.86%), and instrumental support (81.43%). In contrast, maladaptive coping strategies were less frequent, with denial (37.14%), self-blame (38.57%), and substance use (30%) reported among participants. The qualitative analysis reinforced these patterns, identifying emotion-focused coping (50%), meaning-making through spirituality (22.2%), and problem-focused strategies (16.6%) as dominant themes. A minority of participants reported avoidant strategies, including emotional suppression and substance use (5.5%). The integration of findings suggests that morticians balance adaptive strategies rooted in spirituality, social support, and positive reframing, while a minority resort to maladaptive coping mechanisms. These results highlight the duality of coping among morticians, resilience on one hand and vulnerability on the other. Based on these findings, interventions such as Stress Inoculation Therapy (SIT), structured peer support groups, and workplace wellness programs are recommended to strengthen adaptive coping, reduce reliance on maladaptive strategies, and ultimately enhance resilience among morticians working in high-stress environments.