A Preliminary Survey Of Marital Adjustment Among Zimbabwe Open University Students

Abstract

This study sought to establish the level of marital adjustment among 198 students (135 male and 63 female) of the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) at the Manicaland and the Masvingo regional campuses. These students were on the B.Sc. Counselling, B.Sc. Psychology and B.Sc. Special Education programmes. The adapted Locke’s Marital Adjustment Test (LMAT) was administered to collect data. The results showed that the bulk of the ZOU students were perfectly happy and only a small percentage was outright unhappy in their marriages. The former would remarry the same partner if thy were given a second-chance, while a high percentage of the latter would marry a different partner. The respondents in unhappy marriages predicted divorce, but those in happy marriages did not. Even those unhappy in their present marriages wished to remarry again if given a second chance, although, understandably, they would wish to marry different partners from those thy presently live with. Recommendations on overcoming marital maladjustment were given, and these are given as suggestions for comprehensive research studies in the area.