‘My Own House, Car, My Husband, and Children’: meanings of success among Ghanaians

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which contemporary social, economic, and religious developments inform social constructions of success in Ghana. Participants, consisting of 21 females and 39 males, aged between 20 and 70, from different educational and occupational backgrounds were interviewed about what they consider as success. Participants belonged to either Traditionally Western Mission Churches or Charismatic Christian denominations and were selected from three regions of Ghana. Thematic analysis revealed four dimensions of success: (1) Social (including marriage, children, social recognition, and social contribution to society); (2) Material (comprising meeting basic needs; economic independence; material wealth); (3) Educational; and (4) Religious (e.g., God's work, relationship with God). Three pathways to success were also observed in the data: (a) Divine blessings; (b) Adaptability; and (c) Striving. Discussion focuses on social, policy, counselling, and research implications.

Cultural Models of Well-Being Implicit in Four Ghanaian Languages

“…At first glance, the English translation of these words might lead one to conclude that they map the same concept space of psychological growth and fulfilment associated with conceptions of well-being in hegemonic psychological science. However, the context of the interview implies a focus on the objective material conditions of life – success at achieving a level of comfort and material security (see Osei-Tutu et al, 2018b ) – rather than a subjective sense of psychological well-being.…”

“…In one context, Akan speakers might describe a person enjoying a high standard of living as living asetenapa . In another context, Akan speakers might describe a person who does not have social disruptions in their familial relationships and who has fulfilled their obligations toward kin as leading asetenapa (see, Van der Geest, 1998 ; Osei-Tutu et al, 2018b ). In yet another context, Akan speakers might describe a person who is perceived to be leading a morally upright life as leading asetenapa.…”

Children’s Narratives of Family Life in Ghana: A Cultural Lens via Story Stems

“…This is echoed in other studies exploring parental affection expression and support in African and other non-Western contexts, in which instrumental support is considered by children to be a culturally-acknowledged form of affection (Barber and Higgins 2004;McNeely and Barber 2010;Mmari et al 2009). Osei-Tutu et al (2018) found that Ghanaian parents consider the ability to provide for their children financially as a sign of emotional care and that failure to do so is a form of emotional neglect.…”

“…This child perspective is mirrored in ethnographic observations and parental reports: due to the lack of effective social welfare system in Ghana, children's education is regarded as a form of security for the future of children and for providing better care of their elders (Therborn 2006;Twum-Danso 2009, Twum-Danso Imoh 2013. Conversations about school work are pervasive in child-caregiver interactions, as parents regard qualifications as directly associated with Ghanaian definitions of a more "successful life", which include as higher wages and social gains such as social cohesion, respect, and other health benefits (Coe 2012;Osei-Tutu et al 2018) Some narratives expressed high caregiver empathy in thoughts and feelings, even in situations of physical discipline, suggesting that story stems are a promising method for gaining insight into young children's understanding of others' empathy. However, explicitly expressed verbal or physical affection was less common than implicit forms; for example, caregivers showing affection through providing meals and children through helping with domestic duties or thinking how they would later provide for their family.…”

“…These findings are similar to those of Orme and Seipel's (2007) who found that young Ghanaian children actively gave credit to God for their well-being and protection. Osei-Tutu et al (2018) also described that Ghanaian adults and children attribute their current and future successes to 'God's will' and that prayer is considered a means to reach this success. Children's expression of spirituality may also be a regurgitation of the religious values Ghanaian parents put conscious effort passing on to their children.…”