The Role of Perceived Racial Discrimination in the Marriage Gap Between Black and White People

Abstract

Many explanations offered for the gap in marriage rates between Black and White people are economic and cultural. Less often considered are how racial social psychological factors influence marriage rates. In this study, we use critical race theory and the life course perspective to investigate how perceived racial discrimination impacts the likelihood of marriage for Black and White people. Data for the study are taken from the Portraits of American Life Study (N?=?678). The results of logistic regression analyses show that among people who report perceived racial discrimination, White people generally have a higher probability of being married compared to Black people. Analyses by age demonstrate that among younger adults, Black people who perceive racial discrimination are equally likely to be married as White people and have a higher probability of being married than Black people who do not report perceptions of racial discrimination. A negative influence on the odds of marriage related to perceived racial discrimination for Black people becomes clearer as respondents age. The findings highlight the importance of considering perceptions of racial discrimination to better understand the marriage gap between Black and White people across the life course.     

Parental Divorce and the Types of Commitment-Related Messages People Gain from Their Families of Origin

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of types of commitment-related messages gained from families of origin. A sample of young adults was asked about the messages they believed they gained from their families of origin, to what degrees those messages affected their relationship experiences, and how these messages are related to their beliefs about romantic relationships. Results indicated that people with divorced or unhappy parents were more likely to report gaining messages such as relationships are not permanent, one must approach relationships with caution, and relationships are beset by lack of trust and fidelity, and less likely to report gaining messages such as marriage is enduring, relationships need love and happiness, and relationships should be partnerships. In addition, participants indicated they felt that those messages had influenced their experiences in relationships. Overall, the results add to the growing evidence of the importance of family of origin upon people's attitudes about and experiences in romantic relationships.     

‘Who do I turn to if something really bad happens?’ Key working and relationship-based practice in residential child care

ABSTRACT

This article explores the psychodynamics of relationship-based practice from the perspective of young people in residential care. This research involved qualitative semi-structured interviews with 10 care leavers, aged 18–24 years, who had been in residential care in Ireland. Drawing selectively from that research, this article reports their views and experiences of key-working and how relationship-based practice acted as a reparative method within their experiences of care and aftercare. Similar to previous research, this study underscores the necessity to ensure that children in care are cared for and supported by a trusted adult. In addition, based on this study, the role of a key worker appears capable of providing this ideal type of supportive relationship. It also highlights the importance of the care system working to provide consistency and support for the young people and confirms the importance of relationships with trusted adults, such as key workers.     

Gay and Bisexual Married Men's Attitudes and Experiences

Abstract

In this study, 20 gay or bisexual men's experiences of coming out to wives were explored. Specifically, their attitudes and behaviors before, during, and after marriage were examined. Findings were provided about upbringing, reasons for entering marriage, and the coming out process. Through semi-structured interviews information was obtained about the factors which led up to the revelation of homosexuality or bisexuality and about how these men experienced their relationships with their wives and family after coming out. The interviews revealed the fears which prevented these men from coming out earlier in their lives. The most common reason for entering marriage was due to social and family pressure and because of the desire to have a normal, healthy life. Attitudes toward gays and lesbians were negative before marriage and worsened following disclosure.     

Status or Access? The Impact of Marriage on Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Queer Community Change

Drawing on interview and survey research with 116 married and unmarried lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) individuals, this study offers the first systematic data on the relationship between legal marriage and LGBQ community life. The author distinguishes between marital status—being married—and marital access—gaining access to the institution of marriage—as distinct drivers of community change. In contrast to research with heterosexuals, the findings suggest that marital access plays a primary role in LGBQ community change. The different life course trajectories of LGBQ people and their prior experiences of social exclusion alter the relationship between marriage and community. The findings push family scholarship beyond a one‐model‐fits‐all approach to understanding the impact of marriage on community engagement. Taken together, they expand literature on marriage as greedy, the deinstitutionalization of marriage, and marriage and social inclusion as well as offer insights into how LGBQ people understand and enact marriage.     

In Search of Resiliency in Families

Abstract

This study explores the process of relationship development in marriages that foster personal and relationship growth. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve individuals/six couples in marriages that promote individual and relationship growth. Grounded theory methodology was employed and “Empowering Connections” emerged as the core theme. Empowering connections are characterised by a process of growth captured by the following categories: “Connecting Emotionally,” “Loving Respectfully,” “Expanding One's Self,” and “Experiencing Empowering Connections.” The results of the study contribute to the understanding of marriage and provide insight to premarital couples, people who want to improve their marriage, and to therapists working with couples.     

Muslim Marriages: Intergenerational Differences in the Notions of Marriage among the Bulgarian Pomaks

Abstract

Based on ethnographic data, this study investigates the changes in the notions of marriage within three generations in a Muslim Pomak community in Bulgaria. The main goal of the study is to revisit the concepts of the detraditionalization and retraditionalization of marriage, taking into account the communist past and the repressions against Muslims in Bulgaria known as the “Rebirth process” or the “Revival process”. After 1989 the notions of marriage have been reconsidered by the youngest cohort under the influence of globalizing processes and the interactions with the Christian Bulgarians in bigger cities. The analyses pay particular attention to the intergenerational conflict over the role of the woman in the marriage, the emerging individualism among the women from the youngest generation, and their fears from re-traditionalization of their future marriages.     

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in the Treatment of Traumatized Gay Men

Summary

Gay men suffering from traumatic experiences can benefit from Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing treatment (EMDR). In the past decade the theory and practice of EMDR has expanded to address acute and chronic childhood and adult traumas, substance misuse or abuse, identity issues including shame and self-esteem, and health issues. Through a process of accelerated information processing, traumatic memories are desensitized and reprocessed, resulting in less distress for the client in the present and future. EMDR can also be useful for developing internal resources and for exploration of relevant themes for the client. Further attention is needed in exploring the use of EMDR for gay men traumatized by hate crimes, sexual issues resulting from traumatic experiences, and internalized homophobia.     

Conflict Patterns and Family of Origin Conflict in Newly Initiated Remarriages

ABSTRACT

The poor marriage material hypothesis explains the high divorce rate in remarriages as a function of the qualities of people who have previously been divorced. This study sought to test whether conflict in the family of origin and in the present marriage could substantiate the poor marriage material hypothesis by discriminating between couples in their first marriage versus those in a marriage with a history of divorce. A sample of 66 newlywed married couples, half in first marriages and half in remarriages, were recruited through marriage licenses and student referrals. Family of origin conflict discriminated between first and remarried couples. Namely, wives' exposure to interparental conflict significantly increased the odds that they were presently married to a husband who had previously been divorced. Differences between first and remarried couples' own conflict patterns were largely unremarkable with the exception of remarried couples seeing their partners as being more compliant and unassertive relative to those in first marriages.     

Adult Daughters whose Mothers Come Out Later in Life: What is the Psychosocial Impact?

SUMMARY

When a family member comes out, it is a process not only for that individual lesbian but also for their entire family. Adult daughters whose mothers come out later in life have distinctive paths to navigate. This article reports findings of an interview study with six daughters who were adults when their mothers came out to them. Most daughters felt they emerged from childhood with an open mind about sexual identity, but had no idea about their mother's lesbianism until told by her. Half the participants questioned the role of women in their lives after their mother came out. Five of the six have a very close relationship, or have become closer, with their mother, since her coming out.     

Exploring the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Hope

ABSTRACT

To explore the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and hope, a convenience sample of caregivers bringing in children for medical investigation of child abuse at a regional child advocacy center were surveyed for adverse childhood experiences and dispositional hope. Hope in this sample had a significant negative correlation to the adverse childhood experiences subscale “abuse” (r = –.19; p < .05). The relationship between hope and the other adverse childhood experiences subscales “neglect” (r = –.14) and “dysfunctional family” (r = –.16) was not statistically significant. An analysis of variance was performed to determine if caregivers who have experienced both sexual and physical abuse (M = 29.67; SD = 15.96) have lower hope scores compared to those caregivers who have experienced neither physical nor sexual abuse (M = 42.64; SD = 18.44). This analysis (F (1, 84) = 5.28; p < 0.05) showed that caregivers who experienced both physical and sexual abuse scored significantly lower on hope compared to their counterparts who experienced no adverse events, with an estimated effect size of moderate strength (d = 0.70). Higher adverse childhood experiences scores are associated with lower hope. This result was especially true for those adult caregivers who reported experiencing both physical and sexual abuse when compared to adults who did not experience either form of child trauma. While the empirical literature continues to demonstrate the negative consequences of adverse childhood experiences across the life span, hope offers a compelling new line of inquiry in child maltreatment research especially for studies targeting prevention or intervention.     

Women's Childhood Experience: A Perspective from Rural Haryana,India

The childhood experience of women is an important aspect of study in order to promote a change in women's fertility behavior and individual perpetration of gender discrimination. We looked into different dimensions and correlates of childhood experiences by exploring data of 329 women in an ethnographic survey conducted in five villages of Haryana, India. We found women's childhood experiences in rural Haryana were relatively worse; a significant proportion of women had faced food discrimination during their childhood and also were abused/cursed by the family because of their gender. Almost none of the women were asked for their opinion before arranging their marriage and in most cases their marriage was considered a burden. We conclude that a life cycle approach should be taken to examine the situation of girls in rural India starting from early childhood into adolescence and womanhood in order to solve the problem of high gender discrimination within the society.     

‘Mrs Sisulu's Husband’: Subversion of Gender Roles in an African Marriage

Abstract

Most biographies about great leaders of the struggle have focused on the public persona and have revealed little about gender relations or the domestic spaces of their lives. In this unique lecture, Elinor Sisulu – the daughter-in-law as well as biographer of Walter and Albertina Sisulu, leading members of the African National Congress in South Africa – gives insights into what it meant to write the biography of her famous parents-in-law. Her book is unusual in that it explores both the public and private domains, showing how, despite the political pre-eminence of Walter Sisulu, Albertina stood as an equal partner in their marriage. The unexpected and intimate role reversals seen in their long and loving partnership (which survived even his 26 years in jail on Robben Island) provide not only fascinating insight into their personalities, but also a useful case study in terms of the specificity of African feminisms and their contexts.     

Openness in International Adoptions

ABSTRACT

Along with the increasing numbers of international adoptions, there is a developing trend toward openness. In this study, the authors examined the experiences of U.S. adoptive parents who adopted children from the Republic of Marshall Islands. The surveys addressed their initial motivations, the facilitation process for openness, the terms and conditions and the level of understanding of them by birth and adoptive parents, and insights gained from their experiences. The results suggest that in general, this group of parents embraced openness from the onset, they have had difficulty maintaining contact with birth parents, and still would recommend open international adoptions to prospective adoptive parents. Policy and research implications are discussed.     

Religion and bullying: Perspectives from sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) in Michigan

Abstract

This paper explored whether SGM (sexual and gender minority) young adults in Michigan thought religion played a role in the bullying they had witnessed or experienced. Twenty-four self-identified SGM young adults ages 20–29 participated in this study. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with participants following protocols approved by an institutional review board. The majority of participants (23/24) stated that religion had played a role in the bullying they witnessed or experienced. Additionally, several participants noted that the worst bullying they experienced based upon religion came from their families.     

New Directions for Research Examining Sexual Trauma Histories of Gay Men

Summary

Research efforts have been unable to accurately examine the effect of childhood sexual trauma in the adult lives of gay men. Complications stemming from precise definitions of abuse, as well as the subjectivity inherent in the terms, make comprehensive research difficult. As abuse and traumatic events may sometimes be subtle and not involve overt violence, these more delicate events are often overlooked or unaccounted for. Further, because it is a complex endeavor to obtain accurate reporting from children, research efforts rely on the self-reports of adults remembering traumatic events. The symptomatology that results from trauma, including amnesia and dissociation, also affects the reliability of self-report. Additionally, gay men have been notably absent from sexual trauma research efforts for a variety of reasons. A research study which investigates childhood sexual trauma in the histories of adult gay men is discussed. Directions for future research efforts are suggested.     

Union Formation and Depression: Selection and Relationship Effects

Many studies have established that married people fare better than their never‐married counterparts in terms of psychological well‐being. It is still unclear, however, whether this advantage is due primarily to beneficial effects of marriage or to the selection of psychologically healthier individuals into marriage. This study employs data on young adults from both waves of the National Survey of Families and Households to test hypotheses based on both selection (N= 878) and relationship (N= 722) effects. Further, we differentiate union formation into cohabitation and marriage with and without prior cohabitation. Results indicate no evidence of selection of less depressed persons into either marriage or cohabitation, but a negative effect of entry into marriage on depression, particularly when marriage was not preceded by cohabitation.     

Caregiving and Care Receiving Among Older Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual Adults

Abstract

A survey research design was used to examine caregiving, care receiving, and the willingness to provide caregiving among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) older adults recruited from community groups. More than one-third reported receiving care from people other than healthcare providers in the last five years; more than two thirds provided care to other LGB adults. Those who had given care were more likely than non-caregivers to give care in the future. The gender and sexual orientation of recipients of future help affected participants' willingness to provide care, as did their education level and style of coping. Participants willing to provide care to older LGB adults perceived such experiences to be less burdensome and more personally rewarding than those who were un-willing to provide care.     

South Asian transnational marriages in comparative perspective

Abstract This issue on South Asian transnational marriages brings diverse practices and networks into detailed ethnographic focus. Gender and agency are key themes explored in the collection, as well as the potential and actual transformation of gendered status resulting from marrying a migrant or joining a spouse overseas. The introduction identifies some common threads. Several articles challenge the assumption of wives' passivity in arranged marriages or in their joining husbands overseas, while one highlights the less‐documented experiences of men who migrate to join wives working abroad. The collection also offers insights into the cultural and emotional reasons for such marriages, complementing analyses that stress strategic motivations, and noting the emotional consequences of separation and new household formations for the experiences of marriage and parenthood. Marriage emerges as an important means of producing and transforming transnational networks, while marriage practices and dynamics are themselves transformed in the process.     

Toward Understanding the Child's Experience in the Process of Parentification: Young Adults' Reflections on Growing up With a Depressed Parent

This article reports on a qualitative study with 21 young adults who grew up with a depressed parent. We examined how young adults make sense of their childhood experiences of parental depression and how their retrospective reflections help us to understand the experiences of children and the processes of parentification. Participants recounted that their childhood consisted mainly of actions in the service of family well‐being. At that time, they reflected on their own experiences only rarely. In adolescence, there was an evolution toward a greater consideration for oneself and a repositioning within the family. In the discussion, we explore the therapeutic implications of this study—and in particular—the meaningfulness of silence in the family process of parentification.