Influence of Family Life Cycle and Buying Behaviour of Lecturers on Family Satisfaction in North-West, Nigeria

This study examined the influence of family life cycle and buying behavior of lecturers on family satisfaction in selected tertiary institutions in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Three objectives guided the study i. to determine the influence of family life cycle on family satisfaction among lecturers ii. to determine the impact of routine buying behavior on family satisfaction among lecturers iii. to find out how extensive decision-making buying behavior influence family satisfaction among lecturers. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, targeting a population of 6,663 lecturers who are also homemakers across selected tertiary institutions in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A sample size of 384 respondents was determined using a 5% margin of error and 95% confidence level, while stratified random sampling ensured proportional representation. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.822. Analytical techniques included descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that the expanding family life cycle stage had a significant positive influence on family satisfaction (p < 0.05), underscoring the impact of increased family responsibilities and resource allocation patterns during this stage. Routine buying behavior also significantly influenced family satisfaction (p < 0.05), suggesting that consistent and habitual purchasing practices contribute to household stability and perceived well-being. However, extensive decision-making buying behavior did not exert a statistically significant influence on family satisfaction (p > 0.05), indicating that infrequent, high-involvement purchase decisions may have limited direct effect on overall family well-being. The study concludes that family satisfaction among academic households is more strongly shaped by lifecycle-related demands and routine consumption patterns than by occasional complex purchasing decisions. It is recommended that universities should implement financial literacy and family support programs to assist lecturers in managing lifecycle-related financial pressures, policy interventions should promote flexible work arrangements to improve work–family balance, households should adopt structured budgeting systems to enhance routine consumption efficiency.