Navigating Polygamy: Insights into Family Dynamics between the Husband, Wives and Children

Previous studies have found the detrimental effect of polygamy on children and wives. This paper presents the dynamics of polygamy and its impacts on the family members. Data collected include content analysis on a documentary about a polygamous family staying on the East Coast, Malaysia. Data also involve observations and in-depth interviews with the informants, namely the husband, his first and second wife and his children from the first marriage. The findings unearth four themes that emerged in the psyche: the psychological and emotional impacts, family function, the wives’ marital satisfaction, and the coping strategies of each family member. Findings suggest that despite the husband’s claims that the family is functioning well, the wife’s and children’s experiences are otherwise. The challenges discovered include equality practices, especially in dividing resources and affections, managing conflicts and disagreements, and practising open communication among the family members. The husband, wives, and children share their predicament and how polygamy affects their well-being and emotions. There are also possible symptoms of disturbed mental health uncovered among the informants.