INFLUENCE OF LONG-DISTANCE MARRIAGE ON FAMILY LIFE PATTERN AMONG WORKING CLASS COUPLES IN OYO STATE.

The study investigated the influence of long-distance marriage on family life pattern among the workingclass couples in Oyo State. Three (3) research questions were raised and one (1) hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05 levels of significances. Survey research design was adopted. The total population was two thousand nine hundred and twenty-five (2,925). A sample of 150 working class couple was selected from Oyo State Government Secretariat, Ibadan using proportionate sampling techniques Long Distance Marriage Family Life Questionnaire (LDMFLQ) was the instrument used for data collection. Research questions 1-3 were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, mean (x), and standard deviation (SD) while the hypothesis was tested with Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings revealed that problems encountered in long distance marriage include loneliness ( = 2.94) 72.6%, difficulty in achieving personal needs of the family ( = 3.03)78.7% among others. Result of the findings also revealed that long distance marriage influence family life pattern of working-class couples as they experience lack of warm and comfortable relationship ( = 2.95) 71.3%, and inability to fulfil conjugal relationship ( = 2.52) 51.4%. Majority (60.7%) claim they were able to maintain balanced diet even with an absent spouse. Long distance marriage significantly influences family life pattern of working-class couples (p<0.05). The study concluded that Long distance marriage significantly influence family life pattern of working-class couples. Therefore, couples should be making out time to visit one another and practice open communication to avoid inability to fulfil conjugal relationships.