Dowry at Marriage as a Risk Factor in Relationship between Impacts of Dowry, Psychological Distress and Marital Satisfaction

Abstract

In Pakistani culture, the dowry system is deeply entrenched, especially for parents who belong to the lower middle class. However, little has been documented about their positive and negative impacts on Pakistani married women. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between positive and negative impacts of dowry, psychological distress, and marital satisfaction in married women, and to investigate the effect of moderation of dowry at marriage on these relationships. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from February to April 2021 in Pakistan. The sample comprised 486 married women including working and non-working from different cities of Punjab. This study was carried out using a purposive convenient sampling technique and questionnaires as a data gathering tool. Results of the study showed that negative impact of dowry was associated with psychological distress and marital satisfaction but this association was not found for positive impact of dowry. Furthermore, moderation results illustrated no dowry at marriage strengthen the effects of negative impact of dowry on psychological distress and weaken the effects of negative impact of dowry on marital satisfaction in married women. Youth and the government should both take action to control this system.