“I Reported My Wife to Her Mother . . .” An Analysis of Transgressions Within Child- and Parent-In-Law Relationships in Ghana

• DOI: 10.3138/jcfs.52.1.007
• Publication Date: 2021-04-16T14:35:30Z
• Authors: Annabella Osei-Tutu; Adjeiwa Akosua Af...; Vivian Afi Dzokoto
• Keywords: Wife; Commit; Daughter

We investigated transgressions in the context of in-law relationships Ghana. In-laws form an integral part family structure However, psychological studies on this country are rare. The current study interviewed thirty-seven individuals, aged between 32 and 76 who had been married 2 59 years, from two regions Southern Through semi-structured interviews, participants described in-laws commit marriage. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim analyzed thematically. Findings revealed major transgressions: role failure; failure/resistance to changes relationship. For children-in-law, failure discharge roles as child bearers meet financial obligations considered transgressions. Transgressions committed by parents-in-law include poor conflict handling, failures associated with customary postnatal care duties, privacy violations, usurpation daughter-in-law’s cooking rights. have implications for couple interventions.