Intimacy and self-disclosure in Ghanaian in-law relationships

• Published in: Journal of family studies Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 875 - 892
• Main Authors: Affram, Adjeiwa Akosua, Osei-Tutu, Annabella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Maleny Routledge 04-03-2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: disclosure; Ghana; In-law relations; Intimacy; Intimacy (Psychology); Law; Parent and child; Parents-in-law; Privacy; relational mobility; Relationship satisfaction; Self disclosure; GHANA
• ISSN: 1322-9400; 1839-3543
• DOI: 10.1080/13229400.2021.2006751

Intimacy and self-disclosure are strong indicators of relationship stability and satisfaction. In-law relationships are described as uncertain, and intimacy and self-disclosure may be tools used to reduce these uncertainties. We adopt a socio-ecological approach to examine how the Ghanaian ecology affords intimacy and self-disclosure as relationship-enhancing tools in Ghanaian parent- child-in-law relationships. We interviewed 17 individuals in longstanding relationships in the Ashanti Region of Ghana on the closeness of their in-law relationships. Data were analysed inductively and thematically. Participants described the intimacy in their in-law relationship as 'insecure', 'conditional', and 'unfamiliar'. Participants further used caution when disclosing personal information to in-laws, a phenomenon they described as 'fɛreɛ' in the in-law relationship. The findings suggest that intimacy and self-disclosure may be relational tools that are afforded by some ecologies and not others.