Socio-cultural Factors as Determinants of Divorce Rates among Women of Reproductive Age in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria

The study examined socio-cultural factors as determinants of divorce rates among women of reproductive age. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The study sample was 226 randomly selected from five local government of Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. A self-completed questionnaire tagged: “Divorce Rates and Women of Reproductive Age evaluative Questionnaire (DRWRAEQ)” was used to collect the requisite data. The data was analysed using multiple regression and chi-square statistics. The results obtained showed that there is relationship between the five cultural factors and childlessness within the first marriage, marriage support by family and relatives, age at marriage, couple’s role obligation and couple’s ethnic/cultural background and divorce rates among women of reproductive age. The results also showed that there is significant relationship between educational background of women of reproductive age and divorce rates (χ2 = 53.67, df = 12, P < 0.05), and between religious affiliation of women of reproductive age and divorce rates (χ2 = 53.67, df = 9, P < 0.05). Based on these findings, it is recommended that family counsellors, social workers and other helping professionals will be helpful in providing positive strategies of reducing or solving the problems of divorce facing the families.