EFFECT OF SELF-ASSERTIVENESS STRATEGY ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING OF WIDOWS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Widowhood is a significant life event that profoundly impacts the psychological wellbeing of
women, particularly in African societies like Nigeria, where cultural expectations and traditional
practices often exacerbate the challenges faced by widows. The loss of a spouse typically places
widows in emotionally, socially, and economically vulnerable positions, leading to increased risks
of depression, anxiety, and other psychological issues. This research examined the effect of self-
assertiveness strategy on the psychological wellbeing of widows in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State,
Nigeria. The survey, which utilised a mixed method approach, adopted a quasi-experimental
design with a pretest-posttest approach to assess the effects of self-assertiveness strategy on 38
widows aged between 21-50 years which were used for the study. Participants for the study were
divided into an intervention and control groups. Different self-assertiveness exercises were utilised
as intervention while the control group received no placebo. The quantitative data were analysed
using ANCOVA, tested at <0.05 level of significant and qualitative insights were gathered through
focus group discussions. The results from the study indicated that self-assertiveness strategy
significantly improved the psychological wellbeing of widows in the intervention group, with an
effect size of 57.6% (F(1,36)=48.970, p<0.05, ?2=0.576). The empirical evidence supports the
efficacy of self-assertiveness strategies in various psychological and social domains, including
self-acceptance, positive relation with others, autonomy, environmentl mastery, purpose in life
and personal growth. Self-assertiveness training has proven to be beneficial in helping widows
express their needs and boundaries in a respectful and effective manner, leading to greater
psychological well-being and social functioning. It is recommended to develop culturally and contextually relevant self-assertiveness exercises that acknowledge the unique challenges faced by widows in different settings, and address their specific psychological needs.