Determining the factors associated with marital dissolution among married women in Zamfara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Marital dissolution has risen globally, with serious social, economic, and health implications for women and children. This study examined factors linked to marital dissolution among ever-married women aged 15–49 in Zamfara State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of 400 randomly selected respondents across three senatorial zones gathered data on socio-demographic, cultural, and psychosocial variables, including emotional support, financial conflict, educational influence, early marriage, and support for divorce in abusive situations. Analysis employed descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. Significant associations were found between marital dissolution and emotional support (χ² = 122.39, p < 0.001), financial conflict (χ² = 65.21, p < 0.001), educational influence (χ² = 4.17, p = 0.041), early marriage (χ² = 25.95, p < 0.001), and support for divorce in abuse cases (χ² = 12.07, p = 0.001). Logistic regression confirmed these predictors: emotional support (β = 0.732, OR = 2.08, p = 0.004), financial conflict (β = 0.564, OR = 1.76, p = 0.009), educational influence (β = 0.415, OR = 1.51, p = 0.031), early marriage (β = 0.603, OR = 1.83, p = 0.004), and support for divorce/abuse (β = 0.482, OR = 1.62, p = 0.032). The model showed good fit (Hosmer–Lemeshow χ² = 6.327, p = 0.611) and predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.782; classification rate = 74.2%). Findings underscore the need for psychosocial support, delayed marriage, and educational empowerment to promote marital stability.