Poligami: Pengalaman dari Perspektif Isteri Pertama (Polygamy: Experience from First Wife's Perspective)

Nasrudin Subhi, Nurul Hidayah Mohd Nasir, Muhammad Ajib Abd Razak

Abstract


Polygamy is one of the family systems that has been practiced in Malaysia. The total of husbands who practiced it is increasing every year. This phenomenon gave most implications towards psychological acceptance and adaptation amongst the first wives. The objective of this study is to explore the experiences of the first wife in the context of acceptance and adaptation in the polygamy. Exploration focuses on the elements of emotional reactions and feelings, mentality and behavior. Then, the effected of polygamy on mental health and several approaches that were applied to be positive towards polygamy in life. The data were collected using semi-structured interview with the case study. Respondent consisted of three first wives and their aged are 35, 43 and 57. Result showed that acceptance in terms of emotions and feelings by the first wife is anger, sadness, jealousy, and anxiety. Meanwhile, there are three types of mentality acceptance which are too suspicious, accepting positively and negatively. Acceptance in behavioral form is aggressive action/co-wife beaten, silence/redha and change attitude appearance towards better. While, the effects of polygamy on the mental health of the first wife are stress, depression, trauma and depression. This study also recommends husbands to be more open and care the well being of the first wife's psychology based on sharing, honesty and good intentions for polygamy. The results of this study also help therapists to have better understanding of the real life situations experienced by the first wife during marriage counseling session.


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References


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