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Relationship Between Age at Time of Marriage and Marital Satisfaction Among Married Couples in Murang’A County, Kenya

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Relationship Between Age at Time of Marriage and Marital Satisfaction Among Married Couples in Murang’A County, Kenya RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AT TIME OF MARRIAGE AND MARITAL SATISFACTION AMONG MARRIED COUPLES IN MURANG’A COUNTY, KENYA CECILIA NJERI KARIUKI A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE MASTER OF HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI DECEMBER, 2018 i DECLARATION This Thesis report is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University. Signature………………………………………… Date………………………………………. Cecilia Njeri Kariuki C50/71653/2014 This report has been submitted for the review with my approval as University supervisor. Signature………………………………………Date…………………………………….. Dr. Luke Odiemo Senior Lecturer Psychology Department University of Nairobi ii DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my doting daughters Barbara Muthoni and Celine Wanjiru for their undying patience when I didn’t give them my full attention and also to my late dad Mr. Robert Kariuki from whom I learnt to be persistent, consistent, and selfless. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am indebted to my supervisor Dr. Luke Odiemo who stuck it out with me through writer’s blocks and continued to help me with professional support and guidance during the entire period of this study. I appreciate all the lecturers and staff from the Department of Psychology for their contribution towards my learning. I wish to acknowledge my husband Dr. Paul Murigi who unceasingly offered his moral and financial support during my study. Lots of gratitude to my mum, Mrs. Lucy W. Kariuki for her emotion encouragements when I had given up on completing this research. Special appreciation to all the respondents who participated in this study and also to my Research Assistants who overwhelmed me with their kindness. Thanks to all those I have not acknowledged here but contributed to the research and thesis work either directly or indirectly, all your contributions assisted and are deeply acknowledged. Finally, I wish to thank the almighty God for making everything possible. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION........................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... ix ABSRACT ..................................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the Study ........................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................................. 5 1.6 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................... 6 1.8 Limitations of the Study............................................................................................................ 7 1.9 Assumptions of the Study ......................................................................................................... 7 1.10 Definition of Terms................................................................................................................. 8 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................ 9 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Concept of Marriage ................................................................................................................. 9 2.2.1 Types of Marriage .................................................................................................... 10 2.2.2 Indicators of Marriage in the African Settings ........................................................ 12 2.3 Marital Satisfaction ................................................................................................................. 13 2.3.1 Determinants of Marital Satisfaction ....................................................................... 14 2.4 Determinants of Age at Time of Marriage .............................................................................. 17 2.5 Age at Time of Marriage and Marital Satisfaction ................................................................. 22 2.6 Age at Time of Marriage and Subjective Evaluation.............................................................. 25 2.7 Age at Time of Marriage and Emotion Regulation (ER) ........................................................ 27 2.8 Age at Time of Marriage and Patterns of Interaction ............................................................. 29 2.9 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................... 31 2.9.1 Social Exchange Theory ...................................................................................................... 32 2.10 Conceptual Framework ......................................................................................................... 35 v CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ......................................................... 36 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 36 3.2 Research Design...................................................................................................................... 36 3.3 Study Setting ........................................................................................................................... 36 3.4 Target Population .................................................................................................................... 37 3.5 Sampling Procedure and Sample Size .................................................................................... 37 3.6 Sampling Method .................................................................................................................... 38 3.8 Piloting of the Study ............................................................................................................... 39 3.9 Data Collection ....................................................................................................................... 39 3.10 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 40 3.11 Ethical Considerations .......................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION.......................................... 41 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 41 4.2 Respondents’ Demographic Characteristics ........................................................................... 41 4.2.1 Gender ...................................................................................................................... 41 4.2.2 Current Age of the Respondents .............................................................................. 42 4.2.3 Level of Education Attained .................................................................................... 42 4.2.4 Respondents’ Religion ............................................................................................. 43 4.4.5 Employment Status of the Respondents .................................................................. 44 4.2.6 Number of Years in Marriage .................................................................................. 44 4.2.7 Family Background .................................................................................................. 45 4.2.8 Number of Times Married ....................................................................................... 46 4.2.9 Age at Time of Marriage .......................................................................................... 46 4.2.10 Difference in Age at time of Marriage by Gender ................................................. 47 4.3 Relationship between Age at time of Marriage and Subjective Evaluation in a Marriage ..... 48 4.3.1 Subjective Evaluation Levels of the Respondents ................................................... 49 4.3.2 Comparison of Subjective Evaluation Means by Age Ranges ................................ 50 4.3.3 ANOVA Test of Subjective Evaluation Means Differences by Age Ranges .......... 51 4.3.4 Hypothesis Testing................................................................................................... 51 4.4 Relationship between Age at time of Marriage and Emotion Regulation in Marriage .......... 52 4.4.1 Emotion Regulation Levels of the Respondents ...................................................... 53 vi 4.4.2 Comparison of Emotion Regulation Means by Age Ranges ................................... 54 4.4.3
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