Pre-marital experiences of persons with physical disabilities and their spouses in Accra, Ghana

• Published in: International journal of disability, community & rehabilitation : IJDCR community & rehabilitation : IJDCR, 2020-01, Vol.18 (1)
• Main Authors: Okine, Joana, Agyire-Tettey, Efua Essaba Mantey, Naami, Augustina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Families & family life; Marriage; People with disabilities; Personal experiences
• ISSN: 1703-3381; 1703-3381

Marriage is an important social institution because it is the foundation for the perpetuation of humans, fosters family ties and promotes unity. Several traits are deemed as essential in the selection of partners and family involvement. Literature about the marriage of persons with physical disabilities, in general, is sparse. And, there is virtually no study on the pre-marital experiences of persons with physical disabilities and their partners in Ghana. This study fills in that gap. Using the purposive and snowball sampling methods, 20 couples, with at least one spouse having a disability, were selected for the study. In-depth interviews were conducted with each couple and the data collected was analysed using the interpretive phenomenological analysis. Several factors impact on the choice of a partner for persons with disabilities, including myths about disability, beliefs that persons with disabilities are asexual, dependent, and would birth children with disabilities. Families of both men and women without disabilities opposed to marriages with persons with disabilities. Similarly, ladies rejected marriage proposals by males with disabilities. The females with disabilities were more vulnerable to abuse by men without disabilities, who were less likely to marry them. We conclude that understanding disability issues could minimise the barriers that persons with physical disabilities and their partners' experience with marriage.