The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention Volume 1 issue 6 2014 page no.430-436 ISSN: 2349-2031 Available Online At: http://valleyinternational.net/index.php/our-jou/theijsshi Effects Of Widowhood Rites On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Women In Nadowli District (Upper- West Region-Ghana) 1 2 3 Dr. Samuel Atindanbila , Mrs. Vivian Bamford , Mr. Peter Adatara , 4 5 Mrs. Charlotte Kwakye-Nuako , Dr. Clara Ohenewa Benneh 1 Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Box LG 84, Legon atindanbila@gmail.com 2 Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Box LG 84, Legon 3 University of Health & Allied Health Sciences, PMB 31-Ho Padatara@uhas.edu.gh 4 Methodist University College Ghana, Box DC 940, Dansoman Accra Ckwakye-nuako@mucg.edu.gh 5 ICDE. University of Ghana Cbenneh9@yahoo.com Abstract: The present study was conducted to find out the effect of widowhood rites on the psychosocial well- being of widows in Nadowli District of the Upper West Region (Ghana). The study generally examined three aspects of the well-being of the widows viz psychological, economic and social of widows mainly as a result of the ordeal they go through during widowhood rites. The psychosocial Well-being Scale (PSWS) was used to collect data on eighty widows from Nadowli District. The statistical analysis was done mostly by the t tests. Findings indicated that the younger widows experience higher levels of psychological effects of widowhood than the older widows. In addition, results showed that younger widows tend to experience higher economic setbacks. However, results indicated that there was no difference in social effect widowhood between younger and older widows. Based on this it is recommended that the District Assemblies, Traditional Authorities, NGOs and Gender Based Organizations should come together and abolished some of the widowhood rites that tend to have negative psychosocial well-being on the widows in the Nadowli District. Key words: Widowed women, psychosocial well-being, widowhood rites, Upper West Region. rituals that any surviving spouse undergoes to honor the dead spouse (Abanga, 2009). Although INTRODUCTION: it is prescribed for both widows and widowers, the latter go through less stringer rituals as compared Background to the Study with the (Dolphyne, 2009) A widow is a woman who has lost her husband Akujobi (2009) stated that widowhood rites are (Ayagiba, 2010) and widowhood rites are cultural found in every community in Africa and the hardships that they experience stem from the 430 Cite as : Effects Of Widowhood Rites On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Women 2 0 1 4 In Nadowli District (Upper- West Region-Ghana); Vol.1|Issue 06|Pg:430 -436 society, the husband’s family and from resources. The economic impact on the tradition.) In every African society, the widow widowhood rites include loss of income, extreme goes through emotional, psychological and poverty, financial dependency on men, spiritual violence whether she is a Christian,non- negligence of the widow and her children, high Christian, literate or illiterate, young or old school dropout rate and denial of education (Voice (Martey ,2005). of the Widows , 2006). Many people have considered this practice as Social Effects of Widowhood Practices being cruel, archaic,dehumanizing and unnecessary. Therefore there have been calls for There have been mixed findings on the social its abolition (Sossou, 2002). However, there effects of widowhood. Roberts (1998) conducted a seems to be no sign of its stoppage because NGOs study on the kind of support widows receive from and Government Agencies cannot come to terms their families, friends and the families of their late with the tradition (Oduro, 2007). It can be seen husbands. In this study of a sample of widows that widowhood rites come with a lot of problems between ages of 30 and75, Roberts (1998) such as economic, social and psychological indicated that widows between the ages of 30 and particularly in the first year or so after the death of 50 received more support from families and their spouse. These are discussed below: friends than widows who are above 60 years. However, findings from McCalley(2000) show Psychological Impact of Widwhood Practices that widows above 60 years received more support from their families because these people are so old Previous studies have found that most widows and cannot do any difficult work to fend for experienced clinically significant depression themselves. This present study will rectify the during the first year after death, the proportions situation in Ghana. ranging from around 15% to 30% (e.g. Lund et al 1993; Harlow et al. 1991; Zisook, 1991). This Statement of the Problem primarily results from the loss of the husband and feelings of loneliness. Mendes de Leon, kasl & As part of the widowhood rites among the people Jacobs (1994) found elevated depression beyond of Nadowli district of the Upper West region of the first year of widowhood for their young-old Ghana, the widow is taken to a crossroad at dawn widows (age 64-74) but not for their old –old where her hair is shaved and then she is smeared widows (over age 75). However, not all with clay after which she is supposed to wear a investigators have found significant depression white cloth and white scarf to prove her among the bereaved (Gallagher et al.1989), while faithfulness to the man while he was alive. She is others find that depression experienced is also not allowed to bath nor change her clothes for relatively short-lived (Murrell & Himmelfarb, 40 days. A rope is tied around her waist (bagaana) 1989). to identify her as a widow.It is also expected that she should choose a husband from her deceased Economic Effects of Widowhood Practices husband`s brothers. Certain studies also suggest that widows If a widow refuses such an offer, she would be experienced economic hardships after the death of disowned by late husband`s family and banned their spouses. The findings from the study from inheriting any of the dead man`s property indicated that younger widows experienced higher while all the household properties. Such a widow levels of economic effects than older ones. would then rely on the help from friends and Wheaton (1990) conducted a research to examine social organizations to earn their living. It is the risk factors that account for the economic therefore undeniable that some of these practices effects experienced by widows as a result of the have all kinds of effects on the widows who go death of their husbands. The findings indicated through them. In view of this, the study examines that the major risk factor here was lack of coping the effect of widowhood practices on psychosocial 431 Cite as : Effects Of Widowhood Rites On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Women 2 0 1 4 In Nadowli District (Upper- West Region-Ghana); Vol.1|Issue 06|Pg:430 -436 well-being of women in Nadowli District of the 3. Young widowed women are more likely to Upper East of Ghana. experience greater economic effect as a result of widowhood compared to older widowed women. Objectives of the Study METHODOLOGY This study examines the effects of widowhood practices among women. The study addresses the Population following key objectives: This study aims at finding out whether 1. To determine the psychological impact of widowhood practices affect the psychosocial well- widowhood on women. being of widowed women in Nadowli District in Upper West. This place was chosen because of the 2. To determine the social effects of widowhood prominence of this practice in the area. Eighty on women. (80) widows were purposively selected for the study. 3. To determine the economic effects of widowhood on women. Instrument Relevance of the Study The Psychosocial Well-being Scale (PSWS) was used to gather information about participants. This Researches have explored psychosocial well- Scale which was designed by O`Hare, Sherrer, being among widowed women. Few studies have Cutler and Garlick in 2002, is an internationally examined widowhood practices on depression of well-validated screening tool for emotional, women, especially when it comes to Ghanaian economic and social network experience. It is widowed women. This study will be undertaken known to generally have high Cronbach alphas for with the intention of broadening our knowledge various samples in the range of.77 to.88. The and understanding of the psychosocial effects of PSWS scale contains 14 items with minimum widowhood on Ghanaian women. The findings of score of 14 and a maximum score of 42. The scale this study will be useful to care agencies to know has two sub-scales: psychological, economic and the psychosocial problems of these women and social well-being. The psychological construct help them of their plight. The outcome of the measures widowed women`s experiences of study will educate caregivers about the trauma and stress. The social construct measures psychological well-being of widowed women to the social connectedness of widowed women. The help their families realize their responsibilities to economic construct measures the economic effect them. of an experience of financial shock. The Statement of Hypotheses Psychosocial well-being questions related to experiences in the past month had three answer Based on the objectives and review of the categories: never or rarely, sometimes, or most of literature, the following hypotheses were the time. formulated and tested. RESULTS 1. Younger widowed women are more likely to experience higher levels of psychological effects The first hypothesis of the study stated that than older ones. younger widowed women are more likely to experience higher levels of psychological effects 2. Older widowed women are more likely to than older ones. This hypothesis seeks to examine experience greater social effect compared to differences in psychological effects of widowhood young widowed women. rites between younger and older widows. In view of this, the independent sample t test was used to 432 Cite as : Effects Of Widowhood Rites On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Women 2 0 1 4 In Nadowli District (Upper- West Region-Ghana); Vol.1|Issue 06|Pg:430 -436 test this hypothesis. Results are summarized in the social support between younger widows ( M = table below. 13.20, SD = 1.56) and their older counterparts (M = 12.55, SD = 1.55). In view of this result, the Table 1 hypothesis was rejected by the results. The third hypothesis of the study stated that Results of the Independent Sample t test of ‘Young widowed women are more likely to psychological well-being of widows by Age experience greater economic effect as a result of Age N Means SD df t p  widowhood compared to older widowed women’. The hypothesis was also tested with the Young 25 26.16 5.40 78 4.312 .000 1.04 independent sample t test. The results are shown in table below. Old 25 21.65 3.76 Table 3 From Table 1, results from the independent t test The Results of the Independent Sample t Test shows that younger widows (M = 26.16, SD = of Economic effects by Age. 5.40) were significantly more affected Age N Mean SD df t p  psychologically, t (78) = 4.312, p = .000, than older females ( M = 21.65, SD = 3.76). Therefore, Young 25 13.12 3.67 78 3.390 .001 .75 the hypothesis was supported by the results of the study. The effect size estimated with Cohen`s d, was 1.04 implying that the differences in Old 25 10.49 3.00 psychological effect of widowhood between the younger and older widows was very large. The present study also tested the hypothesis that As can be seen from the table above, results from ‘Older widowed women are more likely to the independent t Test indicates that there was a experience less social support compared to young significant effect of age on economic conditions, t widowed women’. This hypothesis seeks to find (78) = 3.390, P =0.001. This means that there was out differences in social support widows receive a significant difference in economic conditions after the death of their husbands between young between younger and older widows. Younger and old widowed. Like the first hypothesis this widows (M =13.12, SD = 3.67) experience worse one was also tested with the independent sample t economic conditions than older widows (M test. Summary of results are shown in tables =10.49, SD = 2.99). This means the hypothesis below. was supported. The effect size of 0.75 was estimated with Cohen’s d meaning that the Table 2 difference in economic effect of widowhood between the young and older widows was not The results of the independent Sample t Test of large. Social Support by Age DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Age N Mean SD df t P Young 25 13.20 1.56 78 1.750 .084 The present study investigated the effects of 25 12.55 1.55 widowhood on psychosocial well-being of Old widows in the Nadowli District. After thorough consideration of problems surrounding the Results from the independent t test show that there practice of widowhood, the study examined the was no significant effect of age on social support degree of psychological impact of widowhood on widows have, t (78) = 1.750, p = 0.84. This various practices had any psychological effect on implies that no significant difference exists in widows. The study also looked at social effects of 433 Cite as : Effects Of Widowhood Rites On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Women 2 0 1 4 In Nadowli District (Upper- West Region-Ghana); Vol.1|Issue 06|Pg:430 -436 widowhood rites. Finally, the study sought to widow. In our Ghanaian society and for that examine the economic effects of widowhood on matter, among the people of Nadowli District, it is women. The research was conducted using data well known that the husband is the traditional gathered on eighty (80) widows form Nadowli breadwinner of the family. The death of the District. Results from study indicated three major husband poses an intense economic burden on the findings. entire family. Here, the wife (now widow) takes responsibility of the household and may not be Firstly, the study discovered that younger widows able to provide enough for herself and family. experienced higher levels of psychological effects of widowhood than the older ones. Most of the In certain situations where the widow refuses to psychological effects widows experienced was choose a husband from the deceased spouse`s depression. This primarily results from the loss of brothers as is the practice of a widow, the family the husband and feelings of loneliness. In a study of the deceased then takes away all belongings of conducted by Mendes de Leon, Kasl, and Jacobs the deceased from the widow. In this way, such a (1994), the findings indicated that depressed widow has to start something on her own so as to younger widows experienced higher levels of earn money. This makes this widow to experience depression beyond the first year of their greater economic drawbacks. Unlike the older widowhood than their older counterparts. This ones, most of the young ones solely depend on the was confirmed by the results of the present study. husband for daily home keeping money. With the Older widows experienced less psychological death of her husband, this widow has nothing to effects mostly due to the fact that these women do so as to keep the family. This makes the widow found their spouse’s death less distressing since it to experience greater economic draw backs. was more expected at that point in the life cycle. In addition, the magnitude of the difference This explains why younger widows tend to between younger and older widows with respect experience higher levels of economic impact than to the psychological effect was found to be so their older counterparts. However, the magnitude large. It is evident that the younger widows’ of the difference between younger and older psychological problems results not only from the widows with respect to economic effects they effects of the widowhood rites but also as a result experience was not so large. This is probably due of the fact that these people feel lonely due to the to the fact that, both old and young widows unexpected death of their husbands. Even though, experience similar economic effects. The the older ones also feel that loneliness as a result economic effects experienced by younger widows of the death, it is clearly known that most of them especially when the family of her late husband has expected the death of their husbands during that taken all possessions from the widow also adds to time of their life cycle. In view of this, although other psychological effects experienced by these the older ones feel depressed of the loss of their widows. This explains the large effect size husbands, the extent of loss felt by the younger observed in psychological effects of widowhood ones is more than theirs. Hence the very large between younger and older widows. effect size in this study. The study finally found out that no differences Secondly, the findings from the study indicated exist in social effects of widowhood between that younger widows experienced higher levels of younger and older widows. This is contrary to economic effects than older ones. Wheaton (1990) studies of Roberts (1998) and McCalley (2000). conducted a research to examine the risk factors Roberts (1998) conducted a study on the kind of that account for the economic effects experienced support widows receive from their families, by widows as a result of the death of their friends and the families of their late husbands. In husbands. The findings indicated that the major this study of a sample of widows between ages of risk factor here was lack of coping resources. The 30 and75, Roberts (1998) indicated that widows loss of the husband has several impacts on the between the ages of 30 and 50 received more 434 Cite as : Effects Of Widowhood Rites On The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Women 2 0 1 4 In Nadowli District (Upper- West Region-Ghana); Vol.1|Issue 06|Pg:430 -436 support from families and friends than widows well-being of widows in Nadowli District of who are above 60 years. The findings from this Upper West Region. The study generally study could probably result from the fact that examined three aspects of the well-being of the these young widows had lots of friends as is the widow including psychological, economic and case of the youth. As such, they tend to receive social well-being of widows mainly as a result of more social support than older widows. the ordeal they go through during widowhood rites. Findings from present study indicate that However, findings from McCalley(2000) show younger widows experience higher levels of that widows above 60 years received more support psychological effects of widowhood than older from their families because these people are so old widows. In addition, results show that younger and cannot do any difficult work to fend for widows tend to experience higher economic themselves. This present study does not agree setbacks mainly due to the loss of the husband with both previous studies probably due to the fact (breadwinner). However, results indicate that that these widows feel they are no longer part of there is no difference in social effect of society due to the ordeals they go through as a widowhood between younger and older widows. result of the widowhood rites. Such rites make most of the widows lose their identity. One such Findings from the study imply that although ritual is disallowing the widow to bath for forty widowhood had negative effects on the days. These practices tend to make them feel they psychosocial life of widows, younger widows are are no longer part of society since both the young more negatively affected than the older ones. This and older widows experienced these rituals. is evident in the fact the younger widows experience higher levels of psychological as well Recommendations as economic effects of widowhood than their older counterparts. The present study found out that younger widows experienced more psychological effects of It is therefore suggested that widows especially widowhood rites than the older ones. In view of the younger ones should be well cared for by their this it is recommended that such widows should respective families. The study also draws attention be screened and given the appropriate counselling. to organizational bodies especially human rights Furthermore, widowhood practices that subject advocates as well as the government to create the widows to psychological trauma should be awareness in the public and for that matter people eliminated by the traditional authorities. It was of the Nadowli District the adverse effect of also found out that younger widows encountered widow hood on the welfare of these widows. This more economic hardships after the death of the would help reduce if not eliminate the incidence spouses as compared to the older ones. In view of of these widowhood rites which cause much harm this special attention should be given to them by to the well-being of widows and society at large. NGOs to enhance their economic lives. Finally both age groups of the widows have low social REFERENCES status as a result of the widowhood rituals they go through. 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