Love in the Digital Village: Social Media Jealousy and Marital Dynamics in Ghana

Abstract

In a period where digital communication increasingly shapes intimate relationships, understanding how social media affects marital dynamics has become crucial. The study explored the relationship between social media-induced jealousy and marital satisfaction among married couples in Ghana. As social media becomes integral to daily life, its influence on interpersonal dynamics is increasingly significant. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 420 married couples through standardized questionnaires and analyzed using simple linear regression with 1000 bootstrap samples and bias-corrected accelerated confidence intervals. Findings revealed that social media usage significantly predicted marital satisfaction (B = −2.723, β = −0.543, p = 0.001, Adjusted R 2 = 0.291), explaining 29.1% of the variance. Specifically, higher engagement with social media platforms was associated with lower levels of marital satisfaction. Similarly, social media usage significantly predicted jealousy among couples (B = 0.991, β = 0.285, p = 0.038, Adjusted R 2 = 0.081), accounting for 8.1% of the variance. Furthermore, social media-induced jealousy was a strong negative predictor of marital satisfaction (B = −0.863, β = −0.788, p = 0.001, Adjusted R 2 = 0.62), indicating that 62% of the variation in marital satisfaction was explained by jealousy triggered through social media interactions. These findings suggest that the more time couples spend on social media, the greater the likelihood of jealousy, which in turn diminishes marital satisfaction. Excessive online interactions can foster misunderstandings, emotional distance, and distrust within marriages. The results emphasize the critical role of effective communication, emotional regulation, and healthy boundary-setting in mitigating the adverse impacts of social media on relationships. The study concludes with recommendations for counselling and marital therapy, encouraging couples to engage in open discussions about their social media habits, establish mutual trust, and strengthen emotional intimacy to sustain marital harmony and satisfaction.