Date

9-17-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Stephanie Cheek

Keywords

father absence, Black women, intersectionality, Christian church

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of Black women who grew up in the faith community without a present father in the Southern region of the United States. The central research question that guided this study was, "What are the lived experiences of Black women who grew up in the faith community without a present father?" The theory that guided this study was intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989, 1991), as this theory provides a framework for the understanding of how intersecting identities, including race, gender, and spirituality, shape an individual’s interpretation of father absence. This study used a qualitative phenomenological design to explore the essence of the participants' lived experiences. The sample consisted of Black adult women aged 18 and older who have been involved in the faith community and experienced father absence during their childhood, recruited from the Southern region of the United States. The data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, cognitive representation, and a focus group to support reflection. The data analysis followed Moustakas’ (1994) transcendental phenomenological procedures, which included the epoche, horizontalization, and the development of textural and structural descriptions to identify the essence of the phenomenon. The findings revealed five themes: Living with an Enduring Absence; Negotiating Identity, Emotional Well-Being, and Self-Worth; Navigating Relationships After Father Absence; Encountering the Faith Community; and Reconstructing Meaning Through Faith.

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