Date

4-29-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Michael Howard

Keywords

African American, clergy, marital distress, help-seeking

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the help-seeking behaviors of African American clergy along the East Coast of the United States in response to marital distress. The theory guiding this study is social constructivism, which was developed in the 1930s by Russian Social Scientist Lev Vygotsky. This theory explores how meaning is developed through social interaction within and between individuals in a given community. Relative to this study, this constructivist perspective will help to explore the meanings that African American clergy assign to marital distress, the prioritization of help-seeking, and their role within the Black community. This study will include twelve to fourteen individuals who identify as African American, licensed/ordained clergy, heterosexual, and who have been married for a period of at least 10 years. The data will be collected through interviews, focus groups, analyzed using a thematic approach, and validated with member checking to ensure that the lived experience of the clergy members have been accurately captured.

Download

Share

COinS