Spousal Involvement in Extended Family Decision-Making: Evidence from Southwest Nigeria.

Abstract

Marriage within the Yoruba socio-cultural setting extends beyond the nuclear family to include a strong network of in-laws whose influence often shapes household decision-making. While in-law involvement in marriage has been widely studied, the effects of spousal involvement in in-laws' household affairs remain largely underexplored. This study determined the effects of spousal involvement in in-laws' household decision-making in Southwest Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 240 respondents across Oyo and Ogun States. Data on socioeconomic characteristics, decision domains, level of involvement, influencing factors, conflict areas, and constraints were analysed using descriptive statistics, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Chi-square, and Regression analysis were used to test four research hypotheses. Findings revealed that spouses were most actively involved in financial and agricultural decisions. Cultural factors (GMS=2.20), social support networks (GMS=2.15), and personal beliefs (GMS=2.07) were the dominant determinants of involvement. Feeling overburdened emotionally (WMS=2.67), frequent spousal conflicts (WMS=2.63), and breeding tension and distrust (WMS=2.62) were the leading effects. Age (r=0.487, p=0.001), years in marriage (r=0.401, p=0.001), sex, and education level significantly influenced spousal involvement. The study recommends promoting healthy family communication, mutual respect, and inclusive decision-making within extended family structures.