Psychosocial Variables and Marital Expectation Fulfillment among Married Women in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

The study examined psychosocial variables on marital expectation fulfilment among married women in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo state, Nigeria. The study employed a correlation survey research design type, while three hundred (300) married women were selected in the Ibadan Metropolis, Ibadan, Oyo with the aid of convenience sampling procedure. A self-designed questionnaire was used to obtain information from the respondents. The obtained data were analysed through multiple regression and Pearson product moment correlation, respectively. The findings indicated that Marital expectations positively correlated with self-perception (r= 0.213, p<0.01), level of education (r=0.200, p<0.01), social support (r=0.147, p<0.05), decision making (r= 0.112, p<0.05). The results revealed that two out of the five factors (self-perception and level of education) are potent predictors of marital expectations fulfilment. The most potent factor is self- perception (β=.201, t=3.034, p<0.01), followed by level of education (β=.170, t=3.308, p<0.01) except social support (β=.101, t=1.766, p>0.05), decision making (β=0.015, t=0.240, p>0.05), and emotional maturity (β= -0.106, t=-1.780, p>0.05) which are not a potent predictor for marital expectations fulfilment. This implies that self-perception and level of education will increase marital expectations fulfilment by 20.1% and 17% respectively. Finally, the five independent factors accounted for 8.1% variance in marital expectations fulfilment among married women in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria. The study concluded that relationship existed between self-perception, level of education, social support and decision making. The study recommended that married couples and couples to be should learn how to make a good decision, this will enhance the fulfilment of their marriage expectations, and counsellors should endeavour to organize seminars for the married, especially for those that find it difficult to fulfil their marriage expectations and they should also organize seminars for singles and couples to be on to fulfil marriage expectations among others.