A study was conducted by Üsküdar Üniversitesi and Sakarya University with the participation of university students to measure how family relationships were affected during the Covid-19 pandemic process and the impact of the process on domestic problems. Striking data emerged from the research involving 1,156 participants, 94% of whom live with their families. According to the results, 36% of the participants' family relationships changed positively with the Covid-19 process. 87% of young people stated that they attach great importance to family.
Head of the Social Work Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış and Sakarya University Faculty of Arts and Sciences faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hasan Hüseyin Taylan, conducted the research titled 'Domestic Problems in Turkey During the Covid-19 Pandemic Process' with the participation of young people studying at universities across Turkey.
Family relationships changed positively
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış stated that they conducted the research with 1,156 university students studying across Turkey, the majority of whom are between 18-24 years old. “There was participation at associate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels in the survey. We can say that the student group consisted of 70% female students, and 94% lived with their families. The rate of those who thought family relationships changed positively with the Covid-19 process was determined as 36%, while the rate of those who said ‘our relationships were negatively affected’ was 12%. The research showed that 87.1% of young people attach great importance to family,” he said.
Disputes did not escalate to physical intervention
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış stated that when they approached the research data in the context of domestic problems, they encountered the following results: “It can be concluded that the Covid-19 pandemic process increased certain types of problems within the family, while decreasing others. For example, while domestic disputes and quarrels that did not escalate to physical intervention increased by 23.4%, they decreased in 13.5% of families. While family members criticizing each other increased by 30%, it decreased in 9% of households. While 19.5% of participants stated that the frequency of discussions about household economics increased in the family, and 6% stated it decreased; discussions regarding household responsibilities saw a 34% increase. There was a 16% increase in discussions about religious and political issues, and an 8% increase in disputes due to harmful habits such as alcohol, smoking, and gambling. Disputes concerning relatives and friends saw a 14% increase.”
Breakdown in family communication decreased
Barış stated that the research revealed important results regarding communication within the family, “While the breakdown in family communication decreased in 14% of participants' homes, 50% stated they experienced no communication breakdown at all. While 10% of participants stated that the rate of separate family activities increased, 17% said it decreased, and 37% stated that no activities were held at all,” he said.
High loyalty among spouses
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış stated that the research results showed a very high rate of no negative situations occurring between spouses during the pandemic, and continued: “79% of participants stated that there was no instance of infidelity between spouses in their homes, 73.2% did not experience jealousy to a restrictive extent, and 77.6% said that the situation of being threatened with separation or divorce was not observed in their family. Only 1.8% of participants stated that physical violence increased in their homes, while 77% stated that physical violence never occurred. Regarding acts of insult, threat, and swearing, 5% of participants reported an increase, while 61% stated they never occurred.” The results show a 10% increase in the rate of economic deprivation, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış. “In the responses of 8% of participants, an increase in acts of ridicule and humiliation was detected. The rate of those who stated that indifference and insensitivity never occurred in their homes was also 61%,” he said.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış: “If the home is wounded, so is the person”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Barış stated that for each type of domestic problem, there was an increase for some families and a decrease for others, and added: “Being together as a family, family members living under the same roof for a long time, and being together in small rooms without even going out, was perhaps a longed-for picture, but it had never been experienced in a capitalist lifestyle. Life outside the family often provides an escape from partial problems in many troubled marriages or families. We observed an increase in verbal or emotional violence for many families, while physical violence decreased. While infidelity or disloyalty decreased, the research revealed an increase in economic violence. Finally, when ‘being together with family’ was experienced, it was seen: ‘If the home is wounded, so is the person.’ If there are problems swept under the rug within the family, if they were postponed in working life or modern lifestyle, when confrontations occur, those problems begin to surface, and family relationships start to turn in a negative direction.”