Date of Award
12-2015
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Marriage and Family Therapy: M.S.
Department
Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
College
School of Health and Human Services
First Advisor
Jennifer Connor
Second Advisor
Manijeh Daneshpour
Third Advisor
Tina Sacin
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
interethnic relationship, Latino, Hispanic, white, qualitative research, romantic relationship
Abstract
Interethnic Latina/o-white couples are becoming more common, yet little is understood about why these couples stay together or get divorced (Fu & Wolfinger, 2011; Garcia, Riggio, Palavinelu, & Culpepper, 2012; Qian & Lichter, 2007). This study uses phenomenology methodology to better understand their lived experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five Latino-white couples and one Latina-white couple. The five themes discovered include interethnic couple identity; combining languages; external support of the relationship; external stressors of the relationship; and partaking in the partner’s culture. Using a Human ecology lens allows for understanding of what makes these couples different and similar to monoethnic couples. Viewing a couple’s co-constructed culture at a microsystemic level may be more beneficial than viewing each individual’s culture of origin from a macrosystemic level. Clinical recommendations for interethnic Latina/o-white couples include helping couples cope with discrimination, having therapists use the correct terminology, and addressing what language they are comfortable with in session. Further investigation is needed in regards to how Latina/o-white interethnic couples handle language choice, discrimination, and perceptions of participating in their partner’s culture.
Recommended Citation
Nixon, Dana I., "The Relationship Experience of Latina/o-White Couples" (2015). Culminating Projects in Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy. 10.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/cpcf_etds/10
