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Family is the essential unit of human cooperation, accommodating both generational renewal and individual linkage to the bigger society as it has been for a huge number of years.
We can therefore argue that Family is the most fundamental part of society. It must be started well so that the rest of the organization will follow suit. Most decisively, marriage is the locus of reproduction in Sub-Saharan Africa (Takyi.2001).
In my paper, we are interested in the relationship between the institution of family and factors that may affect its prosperity, specifically divorce as a challenge families face.
But I cannot talk of divorce without mentioning marriage. Marriage as stated by Thomas (1995), is a social institution of matrimony, which has legal definition and rights regulated by the state and sanctioned in many religious traditions through special rites and ceremonies. In Kenya, the Marriage Act notes that marriage is considered to be an optional and also a voluntary collaboration between a male and female whether in a polygamous or monogamous.
From legal and social status perspectives, divorce is an event that moves individuals from being married to being single (Ahrons, 1999). From a family systems perspective, however, contemporary researchers recognize divorce as a multidimensional process of family change.
As marriages continue to get less popular, divorce rates are increasing across the world. Though marriage is dependent on religion, family, culture, individual behavior, and location, it is currently a stubborn global issue.
According to DE Paulo (2019) globally, in the nearly four decades between 1970 and 2008, the divorce rate has more than doubled, from 2.6 divorces for every 1,000 married people to 5.5. Those results are averaged across all the regions of the world that they studied.
In African society, marriage is considered a lifelong contract as it is looked upon as a permanent, social, and spiritual bond between a man and his wife, as well as their respective families, but in recent years Africa has witnessed a high rate of divorce as a result of urbanization and industrialization. Many Countries including Kenya have adopted more liberal divorce laws in the last two decades. Divorce has become a more practical option in newly formed families since they now tend to have fewer children than in the past.
In Kenya today, divorce rates are lower than before. This is caused by the fact that people keep on postponing marriage mainly because of the following two reasons. The first reason is adopting cohabiting instead of marriage and the second reason is the need and desire to pursue higher education. This takes time and hence couples dont prefer marriage.
Causes of Divorce
According to Dr. Odek People engage in divorce because of these reasons;
- Macro-level reasons
- Demographic variables and divorce
- Micro-level reasons for advice
One of the family theories that I would like to use to explain the causes of divorce is the social exchange theory. It focuses on the quality and stability of mate selection and being able to remain in that marriage. The theory explains why an individual might remain in an unhappy marriage and is used to guide in the investigation of divorce.
The theory makes assumptions about the view of individuals on divorce as either a positive or negative outcome. Therefore based on this theory, the effect of divorce may either be positive or negative depending on the individual. Thanks to our Professor Dr. Antony Odek who made me realize through our weekly class discussions that every coin has two sides. In our last class meeting our topic was about the late Bob Collymore, an outstanding CEO and family man. At the age of 61 Bob had married three times, as he said in an interview. Each time its got better. Each time the match has been better. In the study of divorce, alternatives are either to remain married or to divorce. To the late Safaricom CEO, he chose to remarry thrice and at the third attempt, he found the person with whom he spent his life until when finally death took him.
Micro-level reasons for divorce
- Unrealistic Expectations
Applying social exchange theory to relationships, marital breakdown, according to Levinger (1976), is determined by a complex balance between how well each partners expectations are met, the attractions and barriers to maintaining or dissolving the relationship, and the perceived alternatives to leaving the marital situation. Contemporary expectations of marriage place a high value on meeting the somewhat ambiguous desires for mutuality, intimacy, happiness, and self-fulfillment. Todays marriages expect balanced responsibilities between a wife and husband when it comes to caring for children or elderly parents, managing work demands, paying bills, and doing household tasks. Because of these couples often argue and eventually conflict occurs.
- Abusive behaviors and personality traits
A range of personality characteristics and behaviors attributed to oneself or, more frequently, ones spouse, have been included as reasons for marriage breakdown. These personality traits are often in the form of alcohol and drug use problems, jealousy, dominance, immaturity, gambling, physical and emotional violence, and mental illness.
- Financial problems
Concerns about income or insecure employment may underline some of the stresses and tensions in the relationship that contribute to its breakdown. Financial hardship can increase isolation, emotional stress, depression, and lower self-esteem, which, in turn, can generate or exacerbate marital tensions. The way finances are handled in a marriage can represent underlying issues of power and authority in a relationship that may contribute to overall dissatisfaction.
- Work
Strong professional engagement and long workdays of men which result in to lack of balance between work and family life is one of the primary reasons for divorce. Work-related demands and pressures that generate tension and stress may go unrecognized. However, they can spill over into family life in the form of a lack of time, and emotional and physical energy to invest in the partnership and children, which can lead to marital conflict and dissatisfaction.
- Lack of Communication
Ineffective communication is a common problem that makes couples fight and have difficulty in their marriages. Communication problems can lead to numerous family problems, including excessive family conflict, ineffective problem-solving skills, lack of intimacy, and weak emotional bonding.
Demographic Variables
- Age at marriage
Age at marriage is one of the leading factors in divorce. It seems that it is best not to marry too young or wait too long before marrying. Marrying too young is destructive and has a tremendous impact on a relationship. Some youths are not experienced enough to face the realities of life. As a result, it is no wonder that the rate of divorce linked to youthful marriage is high.
- Socio-economic status
Differences in financial resources, education, and occupational status have been associated with problems in marriage and the reasons for divorce. Higher levels of education, for example, often equate with expanded employment opportunities and higher incomes which can provide greater personal resources, choices, and opportunities.
- Mixed Marriage
Mixed marriage refers to both cultural and religious differences among a couple. Each ethnic group in Kenya has a different culture and religious practice which requires couples to be cautious about ethnic differences when choosing to get married. It has been discovered that mixed marriages generally do not thrive, and therefore could lead to divorce.
- Thomas, G. B. (Ed.). (1995). Contemplating Marriage: Reader. Rowman & Littlefield.
- Kerr, G. M. (2012). Sudden, Unexpected Divorce: A Family Systems Perspective on the Meanings Parents Make of the Event. Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs). 1835.
- DE Paulo, B. M. (2019). Divorce Rates around the World. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/living-single/201902/divorce-rates-around-the-world-love-story
- OMORO, P. M. (2018). INVESTIGATING THE CAUSES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS OF DIVORCE IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA (Doctoral dissertation, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI).
- Arugu, L. O. (2014). Social indicators and effects of marriage divorce in African societies. The Business & Management Review, 4(4), 374.
- Wolcott, I., Hughes, J., & Ilene, W. (1999). Towards understanding the reasons for divorce.
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