THE PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACT OF CHILDLESSNESS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF MARRIED COUPLES IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

Childlessness is a common occurrence that negatively affects many homes worldwide. Experts reveal that it has diverse impacts on the married folks; and also seen as a stigma and a public health issue. The study was designed to investigate the psychosocial impact of childlessness on mental health of married couples in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State and was hinged on the conflict theory. A correlational survey design was utilized and a total of 104 respondents selected through simple random sampling were participants in the survey. Structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents to elicit their opinion on the subject of discourse. Using the statistical package for social sciences as a method of analysis, the bivariate Pearson correlation was used to test the hypotheses. One hypothesis was tested; and this was that: there is no significant relationship between childlessness and mental health of married couples. The study found that there was a significant relationship between childlessness and mental health (F = 2.10925, β = .400, p<.001). The study therefore suggest that the government should provide support services in form of counselling geared towards assisting couples experiencing childlessness to manage their emotions and maintain good mental health.