ROLE OF COMMUNICATION, AGE AND EDUCATION IN MARITAL CONFLICT

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of communication, age and education in marital conflict among couples. Survey, with cross-sectional design was adopted in the study. 200 married couples, 100 male and 100 female, age range of 22-70, mean age of 42 years, participated in the study. The participants were drawn from Nsukka Urban. Volunteers were sought from among local Government staff, business men and women. The self-report conflict behavior scale (SRCBS) was used to test marital conflict while the personal report of spouse communication apprehension (PRSCA) was used to test communication difficulty of married persons. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for data analysis. It was found that communication played a significant role in marital conflict F(1, 189 = 41.68, p < .001. There was a significant interaction between communication and education F(1,189) = 4.64, p< .05. Discussion highlighted the role of social skills in engendering harmony in marital relationships. Suggestions were indicated for further research in marital conflict.