Influence of Pre-Marital Counseling Targeting Self-Disclosure on Marital Satisfaction among Married Couples in Pentecostal Churches in Turbo Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

In Pentecostal churches in Turbo, there are indicators that many couples lack affection to each other and this led to strained relationships resulting to separation or divorce. This could be a pointer to inadequacy in pre-marital counselling programmes. The aim of the paper was to examine the influence of pre-marital counseling on self-disclosure in promoting marital satisfaction among married couples. The study used cross-sectional survey design and targeted a total of 2446 respondents comprising of married couples and counsellors. A sample size of 332 couples and 5 counsellors participated in the study. Stratified and simple random sampling was used to select the respondents. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Validity of the instruments was determined by consulting research supervisors while reliability was determined through piloting and calculation of Cronbach Alpha. Frequencies, percentages, mean and Standard deviation were used to analyze quantitative data. Pearson Correlation analysis was employed to determine relationship that exists between the independent and dependent variables. Qualitative data were thematically classified and arranged before they were reported in narrations and quotations. The analyzed data were presented in tables and graphs. The study found that there was a significant correlation between premarital counseling targeting self-disclosure and marital satisfaction (r = .615; p = .000). The findings of this study would be used to create awareness among couples on how premarital counselling programmes offered to them can affect how they deal with financial issues, conflicts, and communication challenges and consequently their marital satisfaction