Date

1-2022

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Stacey C. Lilley

Keywords

Christian, Bible, Marriage, Premarital, Counseling, Divorce

Disciplines

Christianity | Counseling

Abstract

Increasing divorce rates in the United States of America have resulted in Premarital Counseling (PMC) gaining grave popularity over the last couple of decades. There has been a proliferation of premarital counseling programs in the United States of America since the 1930s with a thrust toward building and sustaining satisfying marriages. Traditional premarital counseling programs focus on ensuring satisfaction once the couple is married; however, there is a significant gap in researching the impact of incorporating Christian values as a means of therapeutic intervention. This study involved eight Christian, African American, heterosexual couples who received Christian-based PMC (CPMC) and have been married for a minimum of seven years. An interpretative phenomenology approach (IPA) to qualitative research was utilized to obtain in-depth knowledge regarding how the couples view the contribution of CPMC to the attainment of marital satisfaction. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews that were conducted via Zoom video conferencing. Data was summarized using IPA analytics. Topics such as cohabitation, and family of origin, are discussed in the study.

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