Marital conflict, its effects on children and children’s coping strategies

The aim of the study was to examine marital conflict, its effects on children and children’s coping strategies. Specifically, the study intended to find out the types of marital conflict, identify and document the sources of marital conflict, assess the effects of marital conflict on children’s well-being and find out children’s own conceptual framework with insight from Grych and Fincham (1990) cognitive contextual framework. The study applied mainly a qualitative approach applying a case study design, with a total sample of 42 in categories of children, parents, teachers and a social welfare official that were obtained through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interview, documentary review and informal observations, and were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The research findings revealed that most conflicts among married couples were rooted in infidelity, alcoholism, out of wedlock/illegitimate children, relatives’ influence, sexual abuse and aggressive behavior in some individual spouses. The study noted that the conflict between the parents had adverse effects to the children’s school attendance and academic achievement, risking children into contracting HIV and subjecting the girls to teenage pregnancies. It was revealed in this study that children were adopting different coping strategies for survival amidst their parents’ conflicts, with some advice got from relatives advice got from relatives and/or friends of through self initiatives whose coping strategies were the riskiest. The study concludes that conflicts are inevitable among the married couples as no two spouses have exactly the same personality, attitudes to avoid exposing the children to negative consequences are undesirable to the children. It is concluded therefore that the emphasis be put on the children witnessing the resolution of conflicts between the parents in ways that are adaptive, creative and that promote mature development. The study recommends proper parenting education to be provided to parents on how to treat and handle children during interpersonal conflicts to avoid exposing the children to negative consequences. There is a call to the ministries responsible for education, health and social welfare, community development, gender and children affairs and justice and constitutional affairs to work together to introduce registered marriage counseling practices and to integrate the matrimonial laws with the laws that protect children, including imposition of strong sanctions for the parents who abandon and neglect their families. In addition, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and religious institutions to offer special education about effects of marital conflict to children during and postnatal clinics and during marriage preparations by religious institutions. Furthermore, the study recommends further research to include a wider area and between the urban and rural settings for generalization and policy implications. The study also recommends similar study to identify effects of marital conflicts to the couples and identify their coping strategies, and a similar study among Christian married couples to find out the extent of marital problems among Christian marriages and the reason for the increase in conflict among this category.