EMBAR

Author:
Prof. Ojiah, Prof. Y. Ahmadu, Dr. P. F. Tobins
Department of Guidance and Counseling, University of Abuja

DOI: doi.org/10.58924/rjhss.v5.iss1.p2

Published Date: 12-Feb, 2026

Keywords: Length of Marriage, Men's attitude, Wives Work Type, Marital Counseling, Gender Equality, SouthSouth, Nigeria

Abstract:
This study examined the extent to which the length of marriage predicts men’s attitudes towards their wives’ work types in South-South Nigeria, with a focus on implications for marital counseling and gender equality. The study was guided by one research question and one null hypothesis. A descriptive survey research design was employed, utilizing both simple random and purposive sampling techniques to select three states—Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom—and a total sample of 225 married couples. Data were collected using two researcher-developed instruments: Men’s Attitude towards Wives’ Work Type Questionnaire (MATWWTQ) and Influence of Wives’ Work Type on Marriage Questionnaire (IWWTMQ). The reliability of the MATWWTQ was established through the test-retest method, yielding a coefficient of 0.74 using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation. Data analysis involved the use of mean scores and standard deviation to address the research question, while the null hypothesis was tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at the 0.05 significance level. The study found no significant difference in men’s attitudes towards their wives’ work types based on the length of marriage. Based on these findings, the study recommended, among others, that guidance counselors, particularly those working in schools, religious institutions, and community centers, should actively incorporate gender equality education into premarital, marital, and family counseling sessions. , counseling interventions should be designed to promote positive perceptions of women’s participation in various forms of employment, regardless of how long the marriage has lasted..Thus, the need for targeted marital counseling interventions to promote positive attitudes towards gender roles in employment, thereby advancing gender equality within marital relationships.

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