SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF MARITAL QUALITY AMONG YOUNG COUPLES

Abstract The prevalence of broken marriages worldwide led to the focus on marital quality among couples. This study is a correlation crosssectional survey that utilizes a simple random sampling technique to select 300 respondents across five selected local government areas in Ibadan. A 5-likert scale self-structured questionnaire with six (6) sections. It covers respondent’s demographic characteristics, Marital Quality (r 0.87), Communication (0.79), Relationship Quality (r 0.85), Mindfulness (r 0.91) and Spousal Choice (r 0.84). Pearson Correlation, ANOVA and Linear Regression were used to test the research hypotheses. Results revealed that quality of relationship (r = 0.323, p< .05); communication (r =0.121, p< .05), and mindfulness (r = 0.349, p< .05) exerted a positive significant relationship on the quality of marriage; gender exerted negative significant relationship (r = -0.199, p< .05); choice of partner exerted a negative not-significant relationship (r = -0.200, p> .05); and education exerted a positive notsignificant relationship on quality of marriage (r = 0.072, p> .05). Going by the results, relationship quality, communication, and mindfulness have a positive and statistically significant influence on marital quality. This study recommends that couples should learn each other’s communication language, be mindful of spousal needs and desires, and make themselves interesting and fascinating to one another.