How Mobile Phone Calls Influence the Marital Satisfaction among Couples in MCK Nkubu Synod, Meru

Abstract

Married Christian couples are expected to have sustainable marital satisfaction. However, marital satisfaction is threatened by the use of mobile phone device which has suppressed cordial communication, affection and companionship, and other interpersonal interactions. This study examines the influence of mobile phone calls on marital satisfaction among couples in MCK Nkubu Synod, Kenya. The family system theory was used in this study. The study adopted explanatory research design. Six superintendent ministers, six clergy members, and 4003 married couples were the target population. Simple random sampling and stratified sampling techniques were used to choose the 369 respondents for the study. Members of clergy participated in focused group discussions, while superintendent ministers were interviewed. A questionnaire was distributed to married people. To address the validity and reliability of the research instruments, a pre-test was conducted. Thematic analysis was used in qualitative data, while inferential and descriptive statistics were used in analysis of quantitative data. The study revealed that mobile phone calls had detrimental effect on marital satisfaction in married couples. The study discovered misuse of personal cellphones among couples, causing discomfort during family time. Dissension, malice, mistrust, conjecture, feelings of abandonment, ignored, lonely, belittled, and insecure resulted from extended phone calls during family time. The study recommended that MCK Nkubu Synod should develop comprehensive counselling church training program with the purpose of teaching and training couples on broad topics such as how to regulate phone calls during family time and the value of doing so. The findings of this study have implications on marriage counselling services in local churches.