Huweliksverwagtings van die formeel opgeleide swart laat-adolessent en die implikasies daarvan vir 'n huweliksvoorbereidingsprogram

Abstract

Suid-Afrika se samelewingstrukture beleef tans 'n grootskaalse morele aanslag wat

manifesteer in verskeie patologiese verskynsels waarvan gebrekkige huweliksverhoudings een van die belangrikste vorm.

Verwestersing word deur die literatuurbevindinge van die onderhawige studie uitgesonder as die enkele grootste oorsaak van disfunksionele huweliksverhoudings in swart geledere. Die Westerse kultuur het 'n uiteenlopende impak op swart mans en vrouens. Die vrou bevind haar as gevolg van verwestersing in In baie gunstiger posisiel terwyl die man vanwee verwestersing baie in terme van status en gesag prysgee. Dit is gevolglik verstaanbaar dat hy in In groot mate waarde bly heg aan die tradisionele kultuur wat hom bevoordeel het. Hierdie spanning tussen tradisionele en Westerse gebruike het tot gevolg dat man en vrou die huwelik met verskillende verwagtings betree. In terme van die fokus van die onderhawige studie het die vraag ontstaan of die

swart persoon wat formele opleiding ondergaan in dieselfde mate die dilemma van kulturele verskeurdheid ondervind soos wat in tersaaklike literatuur voorgehou word. Hierdie studie handel spesifiek oor die invloed van Westerse en tradisionele inhoude op die huweliksverwagtings van die formeel opgeleide swart laat­ adolessent. By wyse van In empiriese ondersoek, aangevul deur literatuurgegewens, is bepaal in watter mate voorgenoemde diskrepansie by die formeel opgeleide swart laat-adolessent voorkom. Die volgende geld as die

belangrikste bevindinge aangaande hierdie groep:

• Hulle beskou hulself deurgaans as verwesters.

• Die voltallige nukleere gesin word as die ideale gesinsvorm beskou.

• Hulle is deurgaans begerig dat die ilobolotransaksie deel van die huweliksluiting vorm. • Die meerderheid verwerp die opsie om kinderloos in die huwelik te bly.

• In hul verwagtings word 'n hoe prioriteit geplaas op kenmerke van die

Westerse huwelik, naamlik + kommunikasie, + probleme wat onderling deur huweliksmaats bespreek word, + emosionele ondersteuning, + gelykheid en vennootskap in die huwelik, en + getrouheid in die huwelik. • Albei geslagte is genee om 'n huweliksvoorbereidingprogram byte woon.

• Spesifieke potensiele huweliksprobleemareas het te make met + fisiese aanranding, + alkoholmisbruik, en + buite-egtelike verhoudings.

Die stand van sake impliseer dat die formeel opgeleide swart laat-adolessent 'n eiesoortige huweliksvoorbereidingsprogram benodig wat hom/haar vir Westerse huwelikseise toerus, maar wat ook voorsiening maak vir tradisionele insprake wat steeds 'n appel tot hom/haar rig.

Societal structures in South Africa are currently experiencing a large-scale moral

onslaught that is manifested in a variety of pathological phenomena - deficient marital relationships constitute one of the most important of these.

Westernisation is singled out by the literature findings in this study as being the single most important cause of dysfunctional marital relationships among blacks. The Western culture has a quite dissimilar impact on black men and black women. Westernisation leads to the woman finding herself in a much more favourable position, while it demands from the black man an enormous sacrifice in terms of status and authority. He, understandably, remains to a large degree attached to the traditional culture that used to favour him. This tension between traditional and Western custom leads to men and women approaching marriage with divergent expectations.

In terms of the focus of this study, the question arises as to whether the black person who has been formally trained experiences the dilemma of being culturally torn apart to the same extent as has emerged from the relevant literature on the subject. The present study deals specifically with the effect of Western and traditional contents on the marriage expectations of the formally trained black late adolescent. An empirical investigation, supplemented by data from the literature, has been used to determine the extent to which the already mentioned discrepancy

occurs among formally trained black late adolescents. The following are the most important findings with regard to this group:

• They generally consider themselves as being westernised.

• The complete nuclear family is regarded as the ideal type of family.

• They are generally keen to have the ilobolo transaction form part of the marriage contract. • The majority rejects the option of remaining childless in marriage.

• In their expectations a high priority is given to the characteristics of the

Western-type marriage, i.e. + communication, + problems being mutually discussed by marriage partners, + emotional support, + equality and partnership in marriage, and + faithfulness to the marriage partner.

• Specific potential matrimonial problem areas concern + physical assault, + alcohol abuse, and + extramarital relationships.

This state of affairs implies that the formally trained black late adolescent needs a unique marriage preparation programme that would equip him/her for the demands of a Western-type marriage, but that would also make provision for traditional demands that are still appealing to him/her.