Analysis of Marital Expectations in African Immigrant and United States-Born Married Couples

The current phenomenological qualitative study aimed to understand marital expectations in married African immigrants and United States-born (U.S.-born) married couples. Eighty-five African-born immigrant and U.S.-born couples from a predominately Seventh-day Adventist sample residing in the U.S. completed the Marital Expectations Questionnaire (MEQ). We analyzed data collected in response to the first question. Data analysis revealed 12 codes associated with four themes related to marital expectations: (a) Care and Support; (b) Love and affection (c) Commitment and (d) Shared Values. We present implications for marital relationships and future research. Keywords: Marital Expectations, African Marriages, Qualitative Research As population demographics continue to change in the United States, individuals are exposed to cultures different from theirs. Some of the demographics are influenced by the arrival of new immigrants. As part of acculturation, immigrants change the ways they view the world, and these changes affect various aspects of their lives, including their marriages. Marital expectations seem to affect the experiences of individuals in marriages. The disappointment from unmet expectations of spouse's behavior change can affect one's appraisal of the behavior. Eventually, this behavior can negatively affect the marriage (Dixon, Gordon, Frousakis, & Schumm, 2012). Hall (2006) explored young adults' meanings of marriage and found that their expectations were based on belief systems built over time, some of which emanated from their childhood experiences in their families. Some of the marital expectations were that entry into marriage is a voluntary act for partners, including monogamy, and parenthood. The cited research indicated that marital expectations play an important role in how individuals experience marriages. In the following section we discuss marriages in the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa along with the benefits of marriage. Marriages in the United States (U.S.) Research in the United States reveals the existence of racial and ethnic differences in marital quality and divorce (Bulanda & Brown, 2007). Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households, Bulanda and Brown found that Black couples exhibited lower marital happiness and interaction, with more marital problems, more arguments, and greater perceived instability than did White couples. Black couples also were more likely to divorce than White couples. Mexican American couples seemed to have equivalent marital quality and divorce outcomes as White couples, although they represented an economically disadvantaged minority group (Bulanda & Brown). Structural factors, including education and employment, and cultural factors, such as the importance of family in Mexican American marriages, seemed to affect the quality of marital happiness and satisfaction among the respondents. In the U.S., currently most individuals marry solely for love and fulfillment, and young people have higher marital expectations when they enter marriages (Campbell & Wright, 2010; Coontz, 2007). These marital expectations include romantic ideals such as passionate, exciting marriages, which are difficult to achieve, leading to dissatisfaction and eventually divorce (McNulty & Karney, 2004). More recent trends in American marriages indicate that fewer Americans are marrying, and those that do marry are waiting longer to get married. Marriage is increasingly viewed as a socioeconomic class divide in America as low-income couples view marriage as unattainable (Gib son-Davis, 2009). It is not entirely clear what role marital expectations play in emerging American marriage trends, but it is likely that expectations based on parents' failed marriages, or other environmental attributes play a role. Marriages in Sub-Saharan Africa Although marriage remains a universal institution in many African cultures, this seems to be changing. …