Abstract

Marriage and family is designed for the development of human race but unfortunately many families are enduring what they ought to enjoy. It is the oldest social obligation in human society and it is a socially sanctioned union, typically between two or more persons usually called husband and wife. The concept of marital instability is confined here in connection with desertion, separation and divorce. It is the relationship in which couples living together in marriage, are not enjoying the closest possible loving and fulfilling relationship without the intention of breakup. It is being done freely as if it has socio-economic consequences on the partners, children and the society. Not only are marriages lasting fewer years, the sources of marital dissolution have shifted dramatically from less widowhood to more divorce. Today, marital instability is common in most countries.  Marital instability which was a rare phenomenon before the close of the 20th century has apparently become common place today and  a problem associated with contemporary family institution. The rate at which it occurs in the modern world is very alarming. The participants were one hundred and twenty-five (125) respondents. This study looks at the socio-economic consequences of marital instability. The study adopted multistage sampling techniques using Cluster sampling method, simple random and systematic sampling techniques for the study. The findings of the study indicate domestic violence (nagging/battering/spouse beating/ repeated quarrels ), infidelity/extra marital affair, inability to sexually satisfy a spouse and sexual starvation, inability to produce children (barrenness/impotence), undue interference in the marriage of children, disapproval of marriage by relatives, poverty/severe lack, unfriendliness/lack of communication, un-submissiveness on the part of the wife, lack of love between partners, are some of the socio-economic causes of marital instability. The socio-economic consequences of marital instability include high rate of delinquency and anti-social behaviours among children, academic difficulties, childhood depression, lower social competence, lower self-esteem, and subclinical distress among children, infliction of frustration on children and rendering them useless in life, marital instability leads to lack of peace at home and lack of companionship, children from broken homes develop bitterness and hatred among themselves and towards parents, marital instability re-occurrence later in the life of the children who parents are involved in marital instability are.Based on the finding it was recommended that organization of sensitization/enlightenment seminars and symposiums against marital instability by NGOs, CBOs to sensitize the general public, teaching of values by families to children on the value of marriage and intact home, teaching on the danger of marital instability by schools and adding it to school curriculum were suggested as ways of reducing marital instability.                                                                                                                      

  TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

 1.0   INTRODUCTION