Informational Support on Marital Satisfaction of Protestant Clergy and Their Spouses in Dagoretti South Sub-County Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine informational support of protestant clergy and their spouses on marital satisfaction in Dagoretti South Sub-County Nairobi, Kenya. Methodology: This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed method design. The study used a sample size of 273 protestant clergy and their spouses, chosen using a simple random sampling technique for quantitative, and 12 participants who were purposefully selected for qualitative, low and high performance on levels of marital satisfaction. The ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMSS) and the Scales of Perceived Social Support were used to collect quantitative data, with the former having a reliability coefficient of 0.834 and the latter of 0.954, respectively. The researcher used both standardized questionnaires and an in-depth interview guide questionnaire to obtain data. Descriptive analysis and thematic analysis were used to examine the data. The data was presented in form of tables. SPSS version 23 for the social sciences was for inferential analysis. Findings: The results of this study showed a weak negative and statistically significant associations between information support and marital happiness. The results indicated that the general marital satisfaction of protestant clergy and their spouses fell as informational support increased. Unintentional distortion due to a lack of information, such as inability of the communicator of the information, uncertainties, or difficulties in interpersonal contacts, may account for the weak, negative, and statistically significant relationship between information support and marital satisfaction. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was anchored on the dynamic goal theory of marital satisfaction. The study also recommends that the policymaker’s plan and strategize to engage counselling psychologists with the intent to deal with specific issues that married couples present. It is high time for the government to stop being reactive to issues pertaining marital and family and engage the mental health professionals on the best prevention intervention for marriage and family in general.