Spouse and mother-in-law rejection and marital adjustment of Turkish women with child and adult marriage

Abstract

Child marriages occur between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child and take place without children being physiologically or psychologically ready to shoulder the responsibilities of marriage and having children. Child marriages among women are prevalent in Turkey and linked with number of negative outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictor role of spouse and mother-in-law rejection on marital adjustment and whether this relationship differs for Turkish women married under and above 18. Results revealed that women who were married as children had significantly higher scores for spouse and mother-in-law rejection and lower marital adjustment than women married above 18. Additionally, the marital adjustment of women married as children and by the marriage of choice was significantly lower than women who had married at an adult age and by the marriage of choice. Moderation analysis, which was made by Process macro, indicated that marital age and mother-in-law rejection had a moderator role in the relationship between overall spousal rejection and marital adjustment. In conclusion, this study provides a unique contribution to the relevant literature in Turkish culture in terms of comparing women married under the age of 18 and above 18.