
Abstract This study examined depression, marital conflict, and coping strategies (problem-focused and emotion-focused) as correlates of family stress among married nurses in selected hospitals in Enugu State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional correlational design was adopted, and 99 married nurses were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using standardized instruments, including the Family Stress Scale (Douglas & Omeje, 2025), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (1965), Brief COPE Scale (Carver et al., 1989), and Braiker and Kelley Marital Conflict Scale (1979). Data were analysed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation via SPSS version 27. Findings showed strong significant relationships among family stress dimensions. Hypothesis one revealed that depression was weakly related to family stress dimensions, with correlations such as argument dimension (r = .098), family discord (r = .065), and health problems (r = .020), indicating non-support for the hypothesis. Hypothesis two showed that marital conflict was negatively related to age (r = −.233, p < .05) and years of marriage (r = −.228, p < .05), but weakly related to family stress dimensions. Hypothesis three indicated that problem-focused coping was significantly related to depression (r = .395, p < .01), family stress (r = .218, p < .05), and health problems (r = .244, p < .05), while emotion-focused coping was associated with marital conflict (r = .308, p < .01). The study concludes that family stress among married nurses is multidimensional and more strongly influenced by coping strategies than depression. Keywords: Family stress, married nurses, depression, marital conflict, coping strategies, problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, occupational stress, Nigeria
Family stress, married nurses, depression, marital conflict, coping strategies, problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, occupational stress, Nigeria
Family stress, married nurses, depression, marital conflict, coping strategies, problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, occupational stress, Nigeria
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
