Family Environment During the Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Monogamous and Polygynous Family Structures of Arunachal Pradesh

Family Environment is of prime importance for one’s psychological wellbeing as it plays a protective role in dealing with challenges and crisis. This especially comes under focus in light of the recent COVID 19 pandemic wherein people were confined to their homes with their families. As such, family environment became a crucial determinant of one’s mental health. The study aims to compare family environment amongst the different types of family structures i.e., monogamous and polygynous set ups in Arunachal Pradesh, during the COVID 19 pandemic. The sample consisted of 100 youth from Arunachal Pradesh- 50 from polygynous and 50 from monogamous families, within the age range of 20-30 years wherein the participants were administered the Family Environment Scale and the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale. Results showed that the participants from polygynous families had poorer acceptance, caring and cohesion within the family, as compared to their monogamous counterparts. Furthermore, in terms of social support, participants from monogamous families reported receiving the maximum support from friends and family while those from polygynous families reported to lean on significant other and friends for support.  The implications of the study have also been discussed.