Childlessness and Marital Adjustment in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

This study of some selected married women in Northern Nigeria tested the hypothesis that there is a higher level of marital adjustment among mothers than among the involuntarily childless women. Forty mothers and forty involuntarily childless women completed Spanier's Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Mean scores were obtained .fbr the two groups and Student t tests were used in analysis. The result showed that there was a higher level of marital adjustment among mothers than among involuntarily childless women. This result was contrary to the findings of American studies, which indicated a higher level of marital adjustment among childless women than among mothers. Implications for marriage counseling, particularly among involuntarily childless Nigerian married couples, are discussed.