EFFECT OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN ON MARRIAGES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Marriage has remained one of the most intense relationships which human civilization has witnessed and sustained over centuries. Loosely, it can be defined as a culturally recognized union between two people that establishes various rights and responsibilities between them, their extended family (including their family of origin), and children born out of the union. The fundamental basis of any marriage is the personal association between two individuals for conjugal living, support, mating and reproduction; though all of these need not be met exclusively between any specific couple. The legal and moral dimensions of marriage are also important, as that has played much role to keep this practice respectful, alive and replicable over generations. Throughout the history and evolution of human civilization, a successful marriage has been found beneficial both for the physical and psychological health of a couple, replicated persistently in various scientific researches.

The on-going pandemic has brought changes in social behavior with much tendencies of marriages either distressed or sustained depending on the disposal of partners. In the first three months after COVID-19 emerged Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, a devastating number of new cases were reported across China and several countries around the world. And it was finally declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 2020 (WHO 2020). Evidence indicates that COVID-19 transmitted through respiratory droplets via contact routes such as the mouth, nose, and conjunctiva or eyes (UNICEF 2020).However it was necessary for countries to effect total Lock downs of virtually every type of gathering place, stay-at-home measures instituted to combat the spread of the virus, which forced many families and couples to live in much closer and continual contact than normally experienced. According to Richard S(2020) When partners are together for an extended time in the same household, they can get tired of each other. Plus, they are stressed about health and safety and negotiating new responsibilities about work and family life.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Every relationship goes through testing times when the commitment of the partner is challenged. Their previous adjustment, coping strategies adopted, and intimacy also determine this survival of the relationship. Some of these common testing times include change of homes, jobs, sex roles, and responsibilities of children. Unfortunately, the current COVID-19 pandemic is a combination of several challenges that has brought along with it several unexpected changes and new challenges (pressures of work from home, new sex roles in the absence of domestic help) and adjustment to which invariably bring a lot of stress . Hence, struggling with the changes and spending a significant amount of time together as couples within the four walls of the house evokes underlying conflicts of an already troubled marriage or the fear of the spread of corona virus with the social distancing order can impede the emotional companionship among couples which could slightly affect their marriage relationship. Hence, it must be considered that in several cases,the current pandemic crisis could only be unmasking or worsening existing marital distress.Therefore it is on this premise that this study is set to examine the effect of covid-19 lockdown on marriages.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of covid-19 lockdown on marriage. Specifically it is meant

1. To investigate the rate at which covid-19 lockdown affected marriages.

2. Examine the impact of covid-19 lockdown on couple relationship

3. To determine ways that covid-19 lock down affected marriages

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study in general will contribute to the body of knowledge. Specifically it will equip families and couples on activities to engage in in order to strengthen family ties especially in pandemic situations in order to live happily and sustain their marriages. More so it will enable marriage counselors on developing strategies for happy family life and marriage sustainability. It will also aid the unmarried on the need for high preparedness before entering into any form of marriage relationship and family life consequently.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of covid-19 lockdown on marriage. Specifically it will investigate the rate at which covid-19 lockdown affected marriages. It will examine the impact of covid-19 lockdown on couple relationship. Furthermore it will determine ways and rate at which covid-19 lock down affected marriages. The study is delimited to selected families/couples in Lagos State Nigeria.

1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: There is no significant relationship between covid-19 lockdown and good couple relationship

H0: There is no significant effect of covid-19 lockdown on marriages.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

During the course of the study challenges encountered were exclusively but not delimited to the following numerous. These are

• Inadequate finance: the research was face with problem of inadequate fund which hinder the researcher from shuttering around collating questionnaire more so in printing and collation of questionnaires

• Time constrain: time factor pose another constraint since having to cope in this research which went simultaneously within the time schedule of other academic work making it impossible to undertake this study in large more representative skill

1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

Covid-19: COVID-19:Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as illness caused by a novel corona virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2.

Marriage: Marriage is a legally and socially sanctioned union, usually between a man and a woman, that is regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs, and attitudes that prescribe the rights and duties of the partners and accords status to their offspring (if any).

Sustainability: Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic resources. It is the ability to maintain a thing or a course at a rate or level where it does not deplete or destroy

Family:a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit

Couple: couple are two people who are married or who spend a lot of time together esp. in a romantic relationship.

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