Frequency of Marital Conflicts in Iranian Families During the COVOD-19 Pandemic in Mazandaran Province, 2020

Stress and socio-economic and psychological consequences of COVID-19 pandemic have affected family and marital relationships. The present study investigated the frequency of marital conflicts and related factors in Mazandaran province, north of Iran during this pandemic.

In this cross-sectional study, 357 married people were selected by convenience sampling via social networks in 2020. Data were electronically collected using demoghraphic and medical checklist and the Marital Conflict Questionnaire- revised form (MCQ-R). Data were analyzed in SPSS V25.

The average age of participants was 38.2±9.9 years. The average duration of marriage was 14.9±10.7 years. The total mean score for marital conflicts was 103.8±28.3 indicating a moderate level of conflict. The respondents reported mild (n=188, 57.7), moderate (n=132, 40.5), and severe (n=6, 1.8) levels of marital conflicts. Significant direct relationships were found between marital conflicts and age, gender, educational level, remarriage, nuclear family or extended family, history of marital conflict before the pandemic, individual or family history of COVID-19, and number of children (P<0.05).

According to current study, social health authorities are suggested to be prepared to predict the family-marital consequences of a pandemic such as COVID-19 and take necessary preventive and treatment actions.