Premarital And Marital Experiences of Persons With Physical Disabilities And Their Spouses in The Greater Accra Region Ghana

ABSTRACT

Society has put up invisible barriers to the idea of marriages involving persons with disabilities and not much is known about the marital experiences of persons with physical disabilities. This study, therefore, sought to (a) explore the pre-marital experiences of persons with physical disabilities and their spouses (b) ascertain the marital experiences of persons with physical disabilities and their spouses (c) identify the coping strategies employed by persons with physical disabilities and their spouses living in the Greater Accra region of Ghana to sustain their marriages. Using the Purposive and Snowball sampling methods, twenty (20) couples (i.e. forty [40] individuals in all) with at least one spouse having either visual, hearing or mobility disability were selected for the study. Interviews were conducted with each couple and data collected was analysed from the perspective of the Critical Disability Theory (CDT). The findings of the study indicate that most of the persons with physical disabilities had been rejected by some families in their previous relationships due to the disability and some relatives of their current spouses also objected to their marriages. Also, persons with physical disabilities and their spouses interviewed during this study revealed that they encountered stigma and discrimination due to the negative perception people have about disability. Additionally, persons with visual and mobility disabilities and their spouses also encountered environmental barriers in the form of inaccessible building and transport system, whiles couples with hearing disabilities faced communication barriers. Notwithstanding the challenges that the various couples encountered, they were able to complement each other in the performance of house chores and also got some support from outsiders and relatives who initially objected to the marriage. For the purpose of overcoming the challenges experienced, persons with physical disabilities and their spouses employed coping strategies such as tolerance, praying, seeking prompt medical attention, communicating through writing, seeking assistance from others and training spouses and children.