Marital disagreements in households in several provinces in Northern Vietnam

Abstract

Based on a survey of 604 residents in Hanoi, Nam Dinh, and Yen Bai in 2017, the study’s findings indicate that: The majority of couples in Northern Vietnam experience harmonious marital life, with conflicts occurring infrequently; Not all types of disagreements between spouses vary according to socio-demographic characteristics such as place of residence, living standards, duration of marriage, or educational level; Several types of marital disagreements are associated with the length of the marriage and the spouses’ income; All types of marital disagreements are related to marital satisfaction and positive perceptions of the marital relationship. These findings provide important empirical evidence for a deeper understanding of how cultural norms, gender roles, and socioeconomic conditions shape spousal interaction dynamics, thereby suggesting avenues for interventions aimed at promoting marital harmony, reducing conflict, and enhancing the quality of marital life in contemporary Vietnamese families.