Social Support Available to Commuter Couples in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

Commuter couples are married couples who do not share the same residence due to work and career commitments. In this study, heterosexual married commuter couples were studied concerning their social support networks to include people or activities they rely on to share their burdens and day-to-day activities when their spouses are not with them. The article reports on what social support is available to commuter couples in Jos, Nigeria and how these couples make use of the identified support networks to secure work-life balance. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 17 commuter couples in Jos, Nigeria and is a part of a larger study. Results show that commuter couples studied identified emotional and instrumental social support that serves as a succour to their stressful work and daily lives. These include immediate close family members such as parents and siblings who understand their lifestyle as commuter couples and encourage and support them in various ways including child care, meal preparation and even moving in with them to ease the burden of taking on certain responsibilities alone; colleagues and kind bosses in the workplace who facilitate their visits home and give them the flexibility to cope with the home front; personal religious practices were also identified by couples to see them through tough days and difficult challenges.