American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR)
2019
American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR)
e-ISSN : 2378-703X Volume-03, Issue-10, pp-63-75 www.ajhssr.com
Research Paper
Open Access
Socio-demographic Variables, Mindful Awareness and Marital Satisfaction among Nursing Mothers in Southeast Nigeria Paul Chigozie Odinka1 , Ujunwa Calista Nduanya2 , Jaclyn Ifeoma Odinka3 , Rosemary Chizobam Muomah1 , Kennedy Uzoma Amadi1 , Mark Sunday Ezeme4 , Stanley Obiora Nwoha5 , Appolos Chidi Ndukuba1 1
Department of Psychological Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus. Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State Nigeria. 3 Social Sciences Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 4 Department of Psychiatry, ESUT Teaching Hospital (Parklane), Enugu State Nigeria. 5 Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria 2
Corresponding Author: Dr. Odinka JI ABSTRACT: The quality of marital relationship has far-reaching implications for the health and well-being of the family. Several studies suggest that socio-demographic characteristics and mindful awareness significantly predict the quality of the marital relationship. Literature is scarce about these studies conducted among Nigerian samples. This study aimed to assess the socio-demographic factors and mindful awareness as predictors of marital satisfaction among nursing mothers in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria. The data for this study were collected at the postnatal clinics and children's welfare clinics of two tertiary hospitals in Enugu, using Socio-demographic Questionnaire, Index of Marital Satisfaction, and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Correlation analysis was used to test for association. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the predictor variables for marital satisfaction. The age range of nursing mothers was 20 – 46 years. Over 88% of the nursing mothers enrolled or completed tertiary education program. Higher levels of marital satisfaction were reported in 185 (61.7%) of the mothers. Multiple regression analysis suggested that higher levels of mindfulness and higher levels of educational attainment predicted higher levels of marital satisfaction, while an increase in the level of pregnancies predicted lower levels of marital satisfaction. The research findings may carry significant implications for the role of social-demographic characteristics and mindfulness, awareness in building and sustaining happy marital relationships and general well-being of the family.
KEYWORDS: Socio-demographic variables; mindful awareness; marital satisfaction; nursing mothers; Southeast Nigeria
I.
INTRODUCTION
The marital relationship, a basic structure in every society, is considered to be one of the most critical assets in human relations (Ahangar et al., 2016). Though formal marriage arrangements exist in almost every culture (Bell, 1997), the criteria of a satisfying marriage may vary greatly based on one's broader cultural context (Dillon and Beechler, 2010). In Igbo culture, marriage is seen as an intimate and complementary union of a man and a woman, involving the extended families of both partners as major supplementary groups. The extended family takes the form of three or four generations of nuclear families of lineal descendants (Oraukwu Traditional Marriage, 2015). Also, in Igbo culture and tradition, marriage is the lawful living together of man and woman of two different families, with the support and the approval of both families, and to beget children after some rites have been performed (Oraukwu Traditional Marriage, 2015). The Igbo culture, apart from being a patriarchal society, their marriage is also patrilineal. Marriage is known to have protective effects on physical and emotional wellbeing (Jackson et al., 2014; Proulx et al., 2007). However, these effects are premised on the quality of the marriage; as problematic marriages take a toll on emotional wellbeing, whereas high-quality marriages amplify emotional wellbeing (Proulx et al., 2007; Carr et al., 2014). Marital satisfaction is measured as the degree to which spouses perceive that their partners meet their needs and desires (Bohlander, 1999; Fields, 1983). Marital satisfaction has been found to significantly correlate to life
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