Psychotherapeutic Interventions' Awareness and Marital Conflict Among Couples in Ibadan Metropolis

Abstract

Abstract Marriage is an important social institution in Yoruba culture and Ibadan Metropolis but the high level of divorce and separation has become a key social concern in the social welfare. Psychotherapeutic Interventions’ awareness and marital conflict in Ibadan Metropolis was studied. It included a study of the common causes and trends of marital conflict, the effect of psychotherapeutic conflict resolution methods on marital separation and divorce rates, and the relationship between these methods and rates of marital separation and divorce. A descriptive survey design with the quantitative approach was used. One hundred and seventy-five clients and twenty-one professional users of registered counselling and mediation centres in Ibadan were selected and data were collected using the Adapted Kansas Marital Conflict Scale (AKMCS). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and regression analysis were used to analyse the data with a significance level of 0.05. The results showed financial problems (mean = 3.09), in-laws or extended family (mean = 3.01) and spousal infidelity (mean = 3.00) as the leading causes of marital conflict. In terms of the research question, it was noted that awareness and utilization of CBT and EFT, as well as other professional psychotherapeutic services is very low, while the couples mainly rely on informal support from their religious communities. The main challenges mentioned are awareness, financial constraints, inadequate referral mechanisms and partner constraints. The regression analysis did not reveal a significant effect of psychotherapeutic strategies on divorce/separation (R = 0.086, R² = 0.007, F(1, 173) = 1.287, p = .258). Additionally, there was no significant correlation found between conflict resolution strategies and divorce/separation rates (r = −.10, p = .189). Both null hypothesis were sustained. The non-significant results of the study suggest an absence of formal psychotherapeutic engagement in couples' therapy in Ibadan, not the ineffectiveness of psychotherapy. It suggests public awareness campaigns, elimination of financial and structural limitation and the gradual incorporation of evidence-based practices (CBT, EFT, IBCT) into the social welfare counselling infrastructure.