FACTORS, CONSEQUENCES AND CONTROL OF MARITAL INSTABILITY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN AKWA-IBOM STATE

Abstract

The study investigated Factors, Consequences and Control of Marital Instability among Secondary School Teachers in Akwa-Ibom State. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The population for the study was 338 made up of 142 male teachers and 196 female teachers. The instrument titled “factors, consequences and control of marital instability questionnaire” (FCCMIQ) was used for this study to collect the data. The instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisor for face, content and construct validity. The instrument was further pilot tested using test- retest for 30 secondary school teachers. Using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient, a reliability index of 0.82 was obtained. Nine research questions and six hypotheses were raised to guide the study. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis based on the research questions and null hypotheses. The hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics. The findings from the study showed that unfaithfulness by either of the couple, inability to appreciate individual differences, argument and constant quarrel and comparing spouse with others are the major factors of marital instability; poor emotional health of spouse, dissolution of marriage, high rate of juvenile delinquency and social vices are the identified consequences of marital instability while marital instability can be controlled by sacrificing ones wishes for the wishes of the spouse, use of avoidance strategy to resolve issues and avoiding over expression from each other. The study recommended that teachers should be mindful of how to handle marital issues and try as much as possible to have deep understanding of one another in all aspects of life to maintain a peaceful home; government should organize workshop, seminars and enlightenment for secondary school teachers on the factors, consequences and control of marital instability among secondary school teachers in Akwa-Ibom State. The study also recommend that there should be a continuous awareness, orientation, conferences organized by government in collaboration with counsellors for secondary school teachers in Akwa-Ibom State; government of Akwa-Ibom state should organize educational programmes for secondary school teachers on the control measures of marital instability irrespective of location; collective effort should be put in place by government, non-governmental organizations and counsellors to continue to organize conferences, workshop and seminars on the consequences of marital instability among secondary school teachers in Akwa-Ibom State for both male and female teachers; teachers should be given opportunity to attend counselling programmes in order to improve their perception positively on the factors and consequences of marital instability, lastly, secondary school teachers in Akwa-Ibom state should be encouraged to seek the services of marital counsellors in order to control marital instability