Family Resilience in Context: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Infidelity in Nigerian Military Families

Abdulrazaq       O. Kilani; Ibrahim Suberu; Sulaiaman         Musa Aliyu

doi:10.63919/surau.v2i2.124

Authors

Abdulrazaq O. Kilani University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6274-6940
Ibrahim Suberu University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1168-4714
Sulaiaman Musa Aliyu University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0065-888X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63919/surau.v2i2.124

Keywords:

Family resilience, Marital infidelity, Nigerian military families, Walsh’s Family Resilience Theory, Military welfare.

Abstract

Marital infidelity within military families remains an underexplored issue in non-Western contexts despite its implications for family wellbeing and organizational resilience. This study develops a context-sensitive conceptual understanding of the psychological, social, and institutional consequences of infidelity among Nigerian military families through an integrative review of interdisciplinary literature. The thematic synthesis suggests that infidelity extends beyond a private marital issue to become a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by military occupational demands, collectivist family structures, religious values, and institutional support systems. Psychological distress, family instability, community stigma, and organizational barriers emerge as interconnected dimensions influencing both family resilience and military effectiveness. By integrating Walsh’s Family Resilience Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and the Maq??id al-Shar??ahframework, this study proposes a culturally grounded conceptual model that explains how resilience is constructed through interactions among psychological adaptation, kinship networks, faith-based coping, and institutional responses. The review contributes to military family scholarship by extending resilience theory beyond predominantly Western perspectives while informing culturally responsive family welfare policies in military settings.

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