Depression, marital conflict, and coping strategies (problem-focused and emotion-focused) as correlates of family stress among married nurses in selected hospitals in Enugu State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined depression, marital conflict, and coping strategies (problem-focused and emotion-focused) as correlates of family stress among married nurses in selected hospitals in Enugu State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional correlational design was adopted, and 99 married nurses were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using standardized instruments, including the Family Stress Scale (Douglas & Omeje, 2025), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (1965), Brief COPE Scale (Carver et al., 1989), and Braiker and Kelley Marital Conflict Scale (1979). Data were analysed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation via SPSS version 27. Findings showed strong significant relationships among family stress dimensions. Hypothesis one revealed that depression was weakly related to family stress dimensions, with correlations such as argument dimension (r = .098), family discord (r = .065), and health problems (r = .020), indicating non-support for the hypothesis. Hypothesis two showed that marital conflict was negatively related to age (r = −.233, p < .05) and years of marriage (r = −.228, p < .05), but weakly related to family stress dimensions. Hypothesis three indicated that problem-focused coping was significantly related to depression (r = .395, p < .01), family stress (r = .218, p < .05), and health problems (r = .244, p < .05), while emotion-focused coping was associated with marital conflict (r = .308, p < .01). The study concludes that family stress among married nurses is multidimensional and more strongly influenced by coping strategies than depression.

Keywords: Family stress, married nurses, depression, marital conflict, coping strategies, problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, occupational stress, Nigeria