“Together, We Are Strong”: A Qualitative Study of Happy, Enduring African American Marriages*

• Author: Olena Nesteruk,Loren D. Marks,Katrina Hopkins,Cassandra Chaney,Pamela A. Monroe,Diane D. Sasser
• Date: 01 April 2008
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2008.00492.x
• Published date: 01 April 2008

’’Together, We Are Strong’’:

A Qualitative Study of Happy, Enduring

African American Marriages*

Loren D. Marks Katrina Hopkins Cassandra Chaney Pamela A. Monroe

Olena Nesteruk Diane D. Sasser**

Abstract: Thirty African American married couples (N¼60 individuals) were interviewed regarding the challenges

and benefits of their happy, enduring marriages. Qualitative coding and analysis revealed 4 key themes: (1) Chal-

lenges in African American Marriages, (2) Overcoming External Challenges to Marriage, (3) Resolving Intramarital

Conflict, and (4) Unity and the Importance of Being ‘‘Equally Yoked.’’ Supporting qualitative data are presented

in connection with each theme. Implications for enduring marriages among African Americans specifically are

discussed.

Key Words: African American, Black, marriage, religion.

The recent decline of marriage and increase in

divorce among African Americans obscures the fact

that prior to the 1970s, the majority of Black fami-

lies were marriage based (McAdoo, 2007). However,

Connor and White (2006) noted that scholars typi-

cally view Black families from a ‘‘deficit perspective’’

that emphasizes problems and pathology. In truth,

many African Americans experience well-functioning

marriages, yet ‘‘little research exists on (their) posi-

tive marital adjustment, happiness, and satisfaction’’

(Lassiter, 1998, p. 35). In contrast to the ‘‘deficit’’

trend of the past, and in an attempt to fill the gap

identified by Lassiter, the present study employs

qualitative methods and a salutogenic approach to

examine some of the strengths of happy, enduring

African American marriages.

Review of Literature

Lewis and Spanier’s (1979) ecological model of mar-

riage identified three different levels of resources

(and barriers) that need attention if we are to under-

stand marital well-being and, by extension, the strong,

happy, enduring marriages we proposed to study.

The three levels included: (a) individual, (b) interper-

sonal, and (c) social and economic. This framework

*We express our appreciation to Tanya Davis, Justin Wax, and Allison Rayburn for their assistance in conducting and analyzing the research presented in this paper.

Partial funding support of this project was provided by the LSU Council on Research and by a Jack Shand Research Award. We are also indebted to constructive com-

ments from the guest editor, editor, and blind reviewers. Most of all, we are grateful to the participant families who shared their time and experiences with us without

monetary compensation.

**Loren D. Marks is an assistant professor in the School of Human Ecology at the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (lorenm@lsu.edu). Katrina

Hopkins recently completed her doctoral work in the School of Human Ecology at the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (khopki2@lsu.edu).

Cassandra Chaney is an assistant professor in the School of Human Ecology at the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (cchaney@lsu.edu). Pamela

A. Monroe is a professor in the School of Social Work at the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (pmonroe@lsu.edu). Olena Nesteruk is an assistant

professor in the Department of Family and Child Studies at the Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043 (nesteruko@mail.montclair.edu). Diane D. Sasser is

a professor in the School of Human Ecology and in the LSU AgCenter and Cooperative Extension Service, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (dsasser@agcenter.lsu.edu).

Family Relations, 57 (April 2008), 172–185. Blackwell Publishing.

Copyright 2008 by the National Council on Family Relations.