Abstract
This study sought to examine demographic variables as predictor of marital adjustment of female bank workers in Anambra State of Nigeria. The design of the study was Ex post Facto. Five research questions and four hypotheses were generated to guide the study. The population of the study comprised 1129 married female bank workers. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 565 married female bank workers. Questionnaire titled “Bank Workers Marital Adjustment Inventory (BWMAI) was used as instrument for data collection. Frequency counts, mean scores and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions while t-test and analysis of variance statistics were used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study were marital adjustment problems of female bank workers as identified were communication problems, sex related problems, financial problems, management problems, occupational problems, social and interpersonal problems (Age) of female bank workers significantly influenced marital adjustment problems. Length of marriage of female bank workers significantly influenced marital adjustment problems. Number of children of female bank workers did not significantly impact on marital adjustment problems. Education qualification of female bank workers did not significantly impact on marital adjustment problems, except on two dimensions, namely communication and management. The implication of the findings is that there are six areas of marital adjustment problems of female bank workers and these include communication, sex related problems, financial management, occupational and social problems. This implies that there is need for marital adjustment to be established in such areas so as maintain marital cohesion. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: these is the need for an intervention measures targeted at reducing sources of marital adjustment problems for female bank workers to help them acquire the necessary skills for coping with marital adjustment problems. Counselling centres targeted at addressing personal related problems for female bask workers should be established in all the banks. In view of the attitudes of bank officials towards researchers it is necessary to enlighten them on the need for them to release information that is vital in understanding banking sectors operation.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In the traditional Nigerian society, women were essentially housewives and men were breadwinners. Marriage in the traditional society prescribed definite roles for each spouse. Such roles required that the husband provides financial means for the needs and material comfort of the family, while the wife fulfilled the emotional needs of the children and husband, maintained a pleasant domestic environment and when necessary made sacrifices to enhance her husband’s career (Herr and Zimmerman in Okere, 2002).
Marriage is a close and intimate union of a man and a woman as husband and wife. Marriage is seen as a socially approved sexual and economic union which intending couple looks forward to as it involves the exchange and sharing of rights and obligations between spouses. Ideally, marriage ought to be a happy institution every intending couple looks up to, as noted by Omeje (2002), but some couples soon after, begin to see that the fantasy that engulfed the courtship or pre-marriage relationship fades away, thereby leaving them with the realities of life, namely that marriage is not always rosy. When this happens, reality creeps in and fault finding starts. The result is tension in marital relationship which compels couples to resort to some adjustment mechanisms. Anyanwu (2000) summarized marriage as a socially approved, permanent, lifelong union of a man and a woman as husband and wife with obligations for each spouse to fulfill towards the other and the society.
Describing marriage in the traditional Nigerian society, Nkemakolam (2007), Nwobi (1995) and Obasa (1992) opined that the husband is the bread winner and provides for the family, while the wife depends on what the husband provides to maintain the family without asking why? In today’s Nigerian society, the story appears to be different. Traditional values and beliefs are swiftly changing. Education has given rise to industrialization and bureaucratic organizations. The continuously expanding economy of today needs more workers and women are consequently found in the labour force in significant numbers (Ezeom, 1997; Okere, 2002; Omeje, 2000). Apart from education and industrialization, the value attached to achievement and recognition outside the home as means of self fulfillment and the desire to use special skills have also pushed women to work. Poverty and domestic violence against women have also contributed to more women seeking employment (preliminary report of the special reporters on violence against women to the commission of human rights, Nov. 1994, 544).
Available literature on working women in Nigeria reveals that they are constantly under pressure as mothers, wives and workers (Adegoke, 1987; Alutu, 2000 and Nkemakolam, 2007). Working women spend less time at home caring for young children. The length of breast feeding for examples has declined. One of the commonest reasons most mothers give for the decline of breast feeding is that many mothers now engage in paid jobs outside the home. Justifying the influx of women into paid employment, Omeje (2000) reports that, even religion, which previously was an impediment in women’s participation in the work force no longer has strong hold on women. It is observed in many places in the country that even the Muslim woman no longer stays completely secluded in her husband’s house, as required by their religion in a condition referred to as “Purdah”. Denga (1986) and Adegoke (1987) observed that the largest category of Nigerian families is the one in which the husband and wife are in the labour force. Work experiences, show that both those employed in formal establishments or institutions (that is those in paid employment) and those in the informal sectors (working for self) work to breaking points. The average Nigerian woman’s working time is extremely heavy because she often combines paid employment with petty trading, agriculture of various types, furthering her education, household and child care responsibilities.
Experience has shown that the female folks are no longer relegated to the kitchen as the females are finding their bearing in white-collar jobs as observed by Ogunleye (1999). Women participation in the working sector appears to be more noticeable in the banking and teaching sectors. As noted by Ogunleye (1999), most of the clerical staff in the banking sector presently are females. He noted that as Nigerian woman take a leap in the labour force, one sector which hitherto was an exclusive male preserve but which the women folk have permeated is the banking sector. This sector according to him, has recently been taken over by the female labour force either because of the comfort of the working condition, high financial remuneration or job security. Ezeom (1997) has it that before now, owing to its tediousness, long working hours and delicate working environment, the banking sector attracted very few females. However, with the explosion of modern day banking in Nigeria with its highly sophisticated information and communication technologic (ICT) and fantastic salary structure, women have suddenly found it a sector of operation. Added to the improved work conditions is the loosening of the entry qualification into the sector. Time it was when one must be highly skilled in numeracy to work in the sector. With banking presently, all that is considered is the possession of a degree, in any discipline especially with a second – class upper degree and above. Thus with training, the degree holder is expected to fit into banking sector with little or no problem.
