Age, Religious Affiliation and Family Status as Predictors of Marital Instability among Employed Mothers in Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

 Marriage remains a fundamental social institution that promotes family cohesion, emotional support, and societal development. However, increasing occupational demands, economic pressures, and changing family roles have contributed to rising cases of marital instability among employed mothers. This study investigated age, religious affiliation, and family status as predictors of marital instability among employed mothers in Kogi State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised legally married employed mothers working in selected public and private establishments across Kogi State. A sample of 384 respondents was selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure based on the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size determination table. Data were collected using a researcherdeveloped instrument titled Age, Religious Affiliation, Family Status and Marital Instability Questionnaire (ARFSMIQ). The instrument was validated by experts in Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, and Measurement and Evaluation, while its reliability was established using Cronbach's Alpha. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that age, religious affiliation, and family status significantly predicted marital instability among employed mothers in Kogi State. Family status emerged as the strongest predictor of marital instability, while the three predictor variables jointly explained (47.9%) of the variation in marital instability among the respondents. The study concluded that marital instability among employed mothers is influenced by a combination of demographic, religious, and socioeconomic factors. It was recommended that counsellors, religious organisations, employers, and government agencies should implement comprehensive family support programmes, promote work–life balance policies, and strengthen marriage counselling services to enhance marital stability among employed mothers