Factors responsible for marital conflicts among couples in FCT, implications for marriage counselling

ABSTRACT        

This study investigated the factors responsible for marit-al coY?flicts among couples in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Four specific obJectives, four research questions and three null hypotheses were formulat-ed. The research design was a survey design. The study population comprised of all couples in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The researcher used t-he purposive random sampling technique to sample 300 couples who reside in t-he Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The instrument for data collection ).Vas a self-structured questionnaire named "Factors Responsible for Marital Conflicts (FRMC)". The instrument was structured along four-point Modified Li Icerr-r Scczle. Both face and content validity was carried out. To ascertain the reli a b iIi ty, r he test-retest method of reliability was used under a pilot test and a retia bi lity index value of o. 79 was obtained. The data collected were analyzed us i ng _percentages, frequency counts for the demographic data; mean scores for the research questions and t-test for the three null hypotheses. It was found that multiple factors are responsible for marital conflicts among lVhich are; failure to appreciate individual differences, betrayal of trust, inability t-o satisfy spouse sexually; serious consequences arising from marital conflict-s include; loss of spousal confidence, dissolution of marriage, physical as.s cr zci r.s, st-rategies that work for conflict resolution in marriage include talking over issues; being emphatic, creative, flexible and transparent; being h cs rz-e.s z, assertive and forgiving and gender did no correlate with the responses by couples on factors., consequences and control of marital conflict. It is therefore concluded that recommended that couples be educated about the causes of rrrcx r i rcr i conflict as a first step towards managing conflict in marriage, the consequences of marital conflict should be publicised to enable stakeholders weigh The ir decisions and actions. Couples should exhaust all means for conflict re.e cri zer i cs rr before taking any drastic actions that my end in dissolution of their marriage.