Marital symbols, marital satisfaction and spiritual well-being of Batswana married women

Abstract

The study quantitatively investigated and qualitatively explored the relationships of the African marital symbols lobola and the wedding ring, with the marriage satisfaction and spiritual wellbeing of Batswana married women. The thesis describing the study is presented in five sections namely, a literature overview, three manuscripts reporting on the empirical research, as well as on a proposed marriage enrichment programme for African couples, and a concluding chapter, all briefly described below. The literature overview served as a literature background for the broad study. African marital symbols, specifically the lobola bridal wealth custom, as well as the wedding ring accepted into African culture albeit a Western marriage custom, were studied and described. African symbolism and rituals accompanying symbolic practices, were also explored. Thereafter the theoretical constructs of marriage satisfaction and relational well-being and of spirituality and spiritual well-being were reviewed. Throughout the literature study, the research aim of understanding the relationships between the researched phenomena, was considered. The quantitative research aimed at statistically investigating the relationships of the African marital symbols of lobola and the wedding band, with marital satisfaction and spiritual well-being of n=366 married Batswana women. It also aimed at determining whether perceptions about African marital symbols could predict the marital satisfaction and spiritual well-being reported by the participants. A literature study described and conceptualised the variables, and thereafter data was empirically gathered by means of two self-constructed questionnaires about views and values pertaining to lobola and the wedding ring, as well as by validated questionnaires about marital satisfaction and spiritual well-being of the participating women. Data was analysed with the Mplus 7.31 statistical program and a measurement model and structural model were identified, which met all the best fit statistical requirements. These statistical models indicated the relationships between the variables and the direction of such relationships. Statistical pathways in the structural model indicated that aspects of marital symbols could be precursors of marriage satisfaction and spiritual well-being. The qualitative research aimed at exploring the views about and meaning ascribed by n=12 married Batswana women, to African marital symbols like lobola and the wedding band, as well as to the role (if any) of these symbolic practices on their marital satisfaction and spiritual wellbeing. A literature study described and conceptualised the constructs and thereafter semistructured interviews were held (guided by a pre-formulated interview protocol) with the women, to gather data for qualitative thematic analyses. Themes that emerged from thematic analysis were about lobola (two themes with five sub-themes), the wedding ring (three themes), marital satisfaction (four themes) and spiritual well-being (four themes). The main thematic findings were that lobola is viewed as a source of communal and personal value with much meaning and purpose, but that lobola could also have adverse outcomes. The wedding ring was reported to give relational commitment and meaning, personal status and esteem. Marital satisfaction was experienced through marriage as a caring environment, as a source of happiness, as a valued and culturally required context for raising children, but marriage was also seen as a source of discontent. Spiritual well-being was reported as being together in spiritual activities, in valuing the role of ancestors in all aspects of their lives, in coping through spiritual guidance and in believing that African rituals build existential connectedness. In direct and indirect ways, the role of African marital symbols in the marital satisfaction and spiritual well-being of participants could be discerned. The proposed guidelines for a marriage enrichment programme aimed at building, nurturing and maintaining the marriage and relational health and well-being of African couples. The guidelines were based on empirical findings from the research described above and relevant literature. It was proposed that the programme consist of eight sessions during which couples, by means of couple dialogue and interactions with other couples in a group context, work on the following features of their relationships: commitment to the growth process; attention to the marriage as a caring environment; communication; identifying the individual and couple strengths; building friendship; trust and togetherness; conflict resolution; social support; and finally, commitment to sustained growth, nurturance and maintenance of their marriage quality and well-being. The concluding chapter described overall conclusions and recommendations that flow from the broad study, as well as the limitations of the study and further research that could stem from it