Socioeconomic Status
Low socioeconomic status puts divorced families at increased risk of engaging in risk takingbehaviours (Harris, 2009). In fact, results from a study involving young couples showed that lower income families are more likely to engage in risky behaviours (Taylor, 2010) Adults from low-income families experience higher rates of poor physical and mental health, are likely to engage in deviant acts, have early and unprotected sexual intercourse, and are more likely to experience early pregnancy, be arrested, and drop out of school (Harris, 2002)
2.6 Causes of Family Disintegration
Family disintegration has become a problem associated with contemporary family institution and the rate at which it occurs in the modern world is very alarming. The high rate of divorce cannot be farfetched from the inadequate length of courtship before marriage, : between spouses in social and economic characteristics such as social class, ethnicity, religion and age (Danso, 2008; Boakye&Ardayflo, 2005; Boateng, 2000). Other i include sterility, adultery, desertion and excessive cruelty. Danso, 2008 noted a highrate of divorce among the young highly educated women with few children than among the old, illiterate women with many children. He pointed out that the greatest pressure on divorcees to seek new marital partners is economic. Kabwegyere (2002), opined that minority of wealthy divorced women, however, prefers to stay single. Boakye&Ardayfio, 5) posited that the fragility of the marital bond is a notable feature of the contemporary world and thus, spares no continent and is present at every level of society. It makes society delicate and even endangers the education task and the trust that sustains a home. All too often it leads to numerous separation as well as divorce. One sometimes has the impression t separation and divorce are considered the only way out of marital crisis. This is part of the growing “divorce mentality†which is the product of marriage instability. Difficulties frequency lead to real friction and conflicts that leads to separation, divorce, even murder, where a man kills his wife or the wife killing the husband. It is obvious from increasing rate ofdivorce, (U.S. Bureau of Census, 1994), cases of single parents (Bledsoe, 1993;
Blankenhorn, 2003), Wife battering (Olarinmoye 1998); that these are among the resultant effect of marriage instability in contemporary Nigerian society. Marriage instability has made society to currently witness the invasion of many areas of human activity by an individualism; economic life, excessive competition etc. Meanwhile (Onyia&Anicje, 2002; Nkwocha, 2002; Kumuyi, 2004; Ezeh, 2000) highlighted some of the causes marital instability to include: childlessness, unsatisfactory sexual relationship, non-payment of dowry; Polygyny; Rumor and faction; Lack of commitment towards marriage, sexual incompatibility and infidelity; Lack of communication between spouses; Abandonment, Alcohol Addiction, Substance Abuse; Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse and Emotional Abuse; Inability to manage or resolve conflict; Differences in personal and career . Different expectations about household tasks and financial problems; Intellectual incompatibility and Inflexibility; Mental Instability or Mental Illness; Religious beliefs, and lifestyle differences. Linus, 2012, explained that desperation, especially on the part of the female folks, was a major cause of divorce. He added that most young women is a must to get married at an early age while the older ones cannot stand the stigma
Of the being married, therefore, they enter into marriages not minding what it may cost because they must get married and some of them in their desperation avoid marriage counseling and courtship so that the man would not change his mind. Meanwhile, some families due to poverty give away their female children in order to make some money, she that parents who cannot afford to train their female children give them out for marriage age so that she could fetch them money. They force them into an unwanted or unplanned marital life and thereby making the couple resort to divorce by the time they realize the union was against their will and this will definitely affect the children upbringing and development (Price &McKeniy, 2008).
According to the book “The secrets of families†quoted in the October 1994 edition of Watchtower Magazineâ€, at times attention and energy devoted to meeting the demands of work can also be a subtle enemy that erodes marital commitments .Also in the same magazine, the work place is seen as undermining family harmony. Many workers whom the magazine reported are drawn into illicit affairs with co-workers; still others become caught up in a vain quest for success and sacrifice their family life for career advancement. Aguene (1998) said that, for many traditional people, the aim of marriage is and without it, marriage is incomplete. In begetting offspring the ruralitiestherefore, avert the threat of extinction of one’s lineage which is considered a calamity in all s. Therefore childless marriages are bound to experience conflict in most cases.physical deformity can cause divorce because of non-performance of several duties. This breeds jealousy because the partner who is now physically deformed may not allow the other partner to go out.
