Date

4-29-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Shannon Warden

Keywords

Sexual satisfaction, marital intimacy, Black Christian women, faith and sexuality, religious sexual teachings, sexual communication, marital sex education

Disciplines

Christianity | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Sexual intimacy is a vital component of marital satisfaction, yet many married Black Christian women, taught to abstain from sex until marriage, enter matrimony without adequate marital guidance. This qualitative phenomenological study describes the lived experiences of married Black Christian women, ages 30–60, who were taught to abstain from sex until marriage but received little to no instruction on sexual intimacy after marriage. The central research question is: How do married Black Christian women, who were taught to abstain from sex until marriage, describe their experiences with marital intimacy? Framed by feminist theory, attachment theory, and intersectionality, the study examines how cultural, religious, and psychological factors influence satisfaction, intimacy, and communication within these marriages. Seven participants were recruited through purposive sampling and completed an in-depth, semi-structured interview that explored sexuality, communication, and sexual satisfaction within marriage. Four participants were selected to deepen discussion via a focus group. This study contributes to growing conversations on faith, sexuality, and gender by amplifying the voices of Black Christian women whose marital and sexual realities are often overlooked. Implications include the need for trauma-informed, culturally responsive sexual education and counseling that affirms spiritual identity while promoting relational and sexual wellness.

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