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Article
Toward a Deeper Understanding of the Meaning of Marriage Among Black Men
Journal of Family Issues
  • Tera R. Hurt, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2013
DOI
10.1177/0192513X12451737
Abstract

Black men benefit from healthy, satisfying marriages in domains of physical, psychological, and financial well-being. Yet marriage among Black men has declined and remains elusive for many. One gap in the research concerns the positive meaning that Black men find in their marriages. Prior research has failed to collect in-depth accounts of Black men’s experiences of marriage. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the meaning of marriage among 52 Black men, using interview data. Findings highlight four themes in the meaning of marriage—secure emotional support, lifelong commitment, enhanced life success, and secure attachment. Two themes emerged from the data related to important influences on the construction of meaning relative to marriage—faith, and the dynamics of give and take. Responses among the men concerning the change in marriage over time related to transitions in American marriages and a deepened respect for marriage. Implications are discussed.

Comments

This is an author's accepted manuscript of an article from Journal of Family Issues 34 (2013): 859–884, doi:10.1177/0192513X12451737. Posted with permission.

Copyright Owner
Sage
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Tera R. Hurt. "Toward a Deeper Understanding of the Meaning of Marriage Among Black Men" Journal of Family Issues Vol. 34 Iss. 7 (2013) p. 859 - 884
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/tera_hurt/1/