TOPIC: INVESTIGATING THE LINK BETWEEN INTER PARTNER

COMMUNICATION AND SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE IN GHANA

1.1 Background of the Study

Communication in all its aspects has become a tool for sustaining any form of engagements

among people. As humans in all fields of endeavor, there is the need to sustain good

communication networks, providing a means to build and foster healthy links among people.

Relationships amongst partners work perfectly well, when communication forms the central

pillar in that line of engagement. Lately, it has been observed that, on daily basis, how there has

been an upsurge in marriage break down, to which people attribute the absence of effective

communication as a key contributor. This is seen and read in reportage in newspapers, radio and

television.

Communication plays a pivotal role in marital relationship, making it skills and predictors of

relationship satisfaction between couples (Lavner, Karney & Bradbury, 2016). Most

relationships have collapsed due to the absence of proper recognition to attributes in the area of

non-verbal gestures, good facial expressions and a host of others. These non-verbal aspects of

good communication for some are the most needed ingredients partners must consider to help

sustain relationships, but these attributes are in most cases ignored, rendering relationship ending

on a very bad state.

A marriage without communication is likely to crumble, as communication is the life wire of

relationship or any other meaningful relationship (Esere, 2002, 2006). It is the elixir for ailing

marital relationship (Olagunju & Eweniyi, 2002). Most couples lately primarily center their love

relationship on the use of verbal communications, which mostly have spouses relating through

the exchanges on words to express emotions, ideas, sentiments, and other equally important
considerations in relationship. The use of non-verbal actions and signs in any form of

relationship plays crucial role in enhancing an inter partner communication. A healthy

relationship requires couples paying serious attention to each other’s mood and emotions in

general, serving as a healthy way of assessing what is really going on in the minds of couples.

Non-verbal aspect of inter partner communication centers on body gestures, facial expressions

and other equally important attributes. According to Esere, Yusuf and Omotosho (2011), inter

partner communication will be successful, when such relationship center on trust, love, time,

friendship, understanding, honesty, loyalty, sincerity and above all effective communication.

Some couples are of the opinion that, communication though very central to any form of

relationship must be measured and should not only engage factors that relates to only that of the

couples but the external considerations like the family having that strong communication link

with the couples involved. In line with this, one can argue out that communication is very

essential in stabilizing a marriage, as communicating effectively takes practice and a great deal.

Without communication, it is nearly impossible to resolve conflicts or grow a partnership. Inter

partner communication as opined by Hybels &Weaver (2001) is any process in which people

share information, ideas and feelings which involve not only the spoken and written word but

also body language, personal mannerisms and style.

The institution of marriage is as old as the creation of man. Biblical postulations trace the root of

marriage to the days of Adam and Eve. The account of marriage was given in the book of

Genesis 1:27 & 28, which said, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of

God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be

fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the

birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” As Munroe (2003)
argued, marriage is a religious duty and is consequently a moral safeguard as well as a social

necessity. Based on this biblical statement, many are those who believe the tenet of marriage are

companionship and procreation.

Marriage has since become an essential phenomenon in human life irrespective of tribe, society

and religious affiliations. It has been observed that marriage serves as a moral safeguard because

it acts as an outlet for sexual needs and regulates man’s sexual desire/expression so that man

does not become a slave to it. For every couple, the choice to marry, is to live happily ever after.

Most premarital couples, when they decide to marry, are happy with their relationship and expect

to be happy together until “death do they part.” They want a loving, happy, successful marriage.

After they have been married for a while, and the novelty has worn off, they tend to discover that

marriage does not maintain itself.

This is because maintaining a long lasting marriage does not come on a silver platter. It takes a

dint of hard-work, dedication, a lot sacrifices and sometimes, compromises, in order to make it

work. Marriage takes work from both spouses to stay. As Angel (2008) put it, “Marriage is the

most difficult maze one will ever get lost in.” Marriage can equal either bliss or chains. It all

depends on what one makes of it. Marriage depends on many different things to be successful:

trust, love, time, friendship, understanding, honesty, loyalty sincerity and above all effective

communication. Communication is a life wire of marriage relationship or any other meaningful

relationship (Esere, 2002, 2006). It is the panacea for ailing marital relationship (Olagunju &

Eweniyi, 2002). With so many marriages ending tragically in divorce (Adegoke & Esere, 1998),

it is more important now to work on the communication between husband and wife.

Communication within any given system is essential. Olson and Defrain (2000) asserted that in
the family, even if a member withdraws, he or she is simply communicating that the family is not

a safe, healthy or happy place to live.

One significant element in communication within given systems is feedback. Feedback enables

the sender of the message to know whether or not, the message has been received and understood

by the recipient. Feedback could be positive or negative. Positive feedback in families tends to

create necessary changes in families whereas negative feedback tends to maintain the status-quo

(Burr, Day, & Bahr, 1993). Feedback could come either within family members or outside the

family (Olson and Defrain, 2000). Active communication between couples, regarding all aspects

of their family life is a major factor that influences marital satisfaction in general; and promotes

harmony, cohesion and holistic development in families (Britten & Britten, 2006; Collins, 2007).

Among couples, feedback is equally important. Without feedback, couples would not know

whether their message has been understood, as it was intended for. It could also be a sign to

show that, there is something wrong within the marriage. In addition to feedback, listening has

also been mentioned as another important communication enhancer (Odukoya, 2008). Olson and

Defrain, 2000 defined listening as the process of developing a full understanding of another

person. This process of developing a full understanding of another person, is reciprocal. Thus,

the one who expects to be listened to must also be willing to hear others. To this end, Odukoya,

(2008) opined that to desire to be heard by others but not ready to hear others is a symptom of

selfishness and impatience. Listening is a significant skill that should be learnt (Odukoya, 2008).

It should therefore not be assumed to be acquired naturally without effort. (Odukoya, 2008)

therefore the following as essential listening skills suggested that must be learned by couples:

listening without interrupting; listening with interest and not boringly; listening totally and not

selectively; listening without defending; listening sensitively; and listening with the entire body –
eye contact, mind, ears, etc. Couples who adopt these effective listening skills are likely to

improve upon their communication, and subsequently, marital satisfaction.

According to Omeonu, communication is arguably considered the single most important factor

for a successful marriage or family. Good communication fosters mutual understanding and

respect, reduces conflict, and increases love, unlocking the doors to the highest levels of human

intimacy. So many problems escalate when there is no communication, and many problems are

resolved when there is effective communication. For sure, communication is the key to

successful marriage, and without communication no marriage can survive in this divorce - filled

world we live in (Jolin, 2007). Communicating effectively takes practice and a great deal of

effort. Without communication, it is nearly impossible to resolve conflicts or grow a partnership.

Marital separation, divorce, and remarriage are common phenomena in Ghana and elsewhere all

over the world. One of the factors responsible for these anomalies is effective communication

problem which couples encounter some years after the inception of the union (Maciver, 2004).

Ledermann et al (2010) reported that marital communication is as a constant exchange of

information of messages between the two spouses by speech, letter writing, talking on the

telephone, the exhibition of bodily or facial expression, and other methods as well verbal and

non-verbal. Communication processes within couples are considered to be crucial for the

positive or negative development of dyadic relationships over time and to be a key determinant

of relationship functioning (Karney & Bradbury, 1995; Schmitt, Kliegel, & Shapiro, 2007). In

fact, the ability and the willingness to communicate have been found to be among the most

significant factors in maintaining a relationship (Ekot & Usoro, 2006; Anyakoha & James,

2004). More and more marital failures blamed on the inability of couples to communicate

effectively (Orthner, 1981).

lead to numerous family problems, including excessive family conflict, ineffective problem-

solving skill, lack of intimacy, weak emotional bonding and so on (Esere, 2002, 2006).

Likewise, poor communication style also associated with an increased risk of divorce and

marital separation (Esere, 2008). Many studies, including, Filanli (1984; Schwartz and Scott,

1994; Allen & Olson, 2001; Edward, 2001; Mirahmadizadeh, Amroodi, Tatabai & Shafieian,

2003 and Imhonde, Aluede & Ifunanyachukwu, 2008) have confirmed that open and rewarding

communication whether verbal or non-verbal was essential for marital stability. Along with this,

effective communication is the key to intimacy and family interaction and is the lifeblood of

marital stability. Effective Communication is a communication between two or more persons

wherein the intended message is successfully delivered, received and understood. In other

words, the communication is said to be effective when all the parties (sender and receiver) in the

communication, assign similar meanings to the message and listen carefully to what all have

been said and make the sender feel heard and understood. In the business context, the

communication is effective if the information shared among the company employees contributes

towards the organization’s commercial success. The effective communication includes not just

the way you use the words but also covers several other skills such as, non-verbal

communication, ability to understand your own emotions as well as of the other person with

whom you are communicating, engaged listening, ability to speak assertively, etc. The

American Management Association (AMA) has defined effective communication based on the

following ten points - clear idea regarding topics and receiver of communication, determination

of purpose, understanding the environment of communication, planning for communication

with consulting others, consider the content of the message, to make the receiver aware about
the value of communication, there must be feedback from the receiver, to define properly

whether communication messages are of short-run or long-run importance, all actions must be

suitable with communication, good listening.

A successful marriage is a marriage in which the two individuals respect their own values and

principles full-heartedly; have mutual interests; feel commitment towards each other; have made

a decision to be together under any circumstances; and cooperate with one another. Researchers

commonly judge marital success with one or more of the following measures: stability, duration,

satisfaction, adjustment, and commitment. Stability refers to whether a marriage remains intact

or dissolves (Wright, Nelson, & Georgen, 1994).

1.2 Statement of Problem

Researchers on relationships agree that communication is the single most important factor for a

successful marriage and family (Stuart, 1980; Omeonu, 2007b). Odukoya (2008) argued further

that communication is the fuel on which the engine of relationship runs. Effective

communication within the marital dyad has received scholarly attention as a determinant of

marital adjustment (Satir, 1964), happiness and satisfaction (Miller, Nunnally, & Wackman,

1975), and mental and emotional dysfunction (Haley, 1976).

Despite the desire to see relationship last for a longer life span among partners; there seem to be

a number of challenges within marriages, including communication lapses, rendering marriages

in an abrupt end. Aside that, many research has underscored the need for partners to

communicate often with each other, with marriage counselors, emphasizing such need.

Nonetheless, there seem to be less attention with regards to the relationship that exists between
inter partner communication and successful marriages. This study is therefore, set out to

establish the link or relationship between inter partner communication and successful marriage.
1.3 Research Objectives

This study will be characterised by a main objective and specific objectives.

General Objective

Broadly, the objective of this study is to establish the relationship between inter partner

communication and successful marriage.

Specific objectives

1 To examine the role of verbal and non-verbal communication in successful marriage.

2 To investigate, if new media such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp are used in enhancing

effective inter partner communication for successful marriage.

3 To ascertain the link between inter partner communication and successful marriage.

1.4 Research Questions

1 What role does verbal and non-verbal communication play in successful communication?

2 Is media new media used as a tool of inter partner communication to enhance the success

of marriages?

3 Is there a link between inter partner communication and successful marriage?

1.5 Significance of Study

This research will contribute to the body of knowledge in the field of communication with

respect to marriages in Ghana. This study therefore, form part of already existing literature that

speaks to the subject under study. It would therefore be important to married couples, to be
couples, and counselors. For researchers interested in inter partner communication and

successful marriages, it would serve as a point of reference to them.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This research will cover issues of communication in marriages in Ghana. As such it will deal

with particularly with inter partner communication and its link with successful marriages in

Ghana. In addition, the study will examine the use of new media in enhancing inter partner

communication and its role in successful marriages. It will also cover the issue of verbal and

non-verbal forms of communication in marriages in Ghana. Although, the study is based in the

Ghanaian context, it will be limited to gathering data in Accra, which is the country’s capital.

1.7 Organisation of the Study

This study will be organised into five (5) chapters. The First chapter will deal with introduction

of the study, Statement of problem, Research objectives, Research questions, Significance of

study and the Scope and limitation of the study.

Chapter Two will contain theoretical framework, review of related and relevant literature,

operational definitions of terms.

Chapter Three will be dedicated to the Methodology of the study. It will, be made up of, research

method, research design, population, sampling technique and sample size, sources of data

collection and data collection instruments, techniques of data analysis.

Chapter, will summarize the key findings, draw conclusions and make some recommendations

for further studies.

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