African American individuals, when compared with other ethnic/racial groups, have higher divorce rates and lower marriage rates. Considering that marriage is the foundation for family life, cause for greater exploration into this phenomenon is evident. To gain a more in-depth understanding of the process by which African American heterosexual couples develop and maintain healthy, rewarding romantic relationships, this dissertation includes two studies that shed light on the unique experiences of African American individuals and couples and the implications of these experiences on coupling and relationship maintenance. Thirty-one African American married or divorced individuals participated in the overall study. Study one describes the lived experiences of African American individuals, their childhood relationships, and the influences of these relationships on adult relationships. Study two discusses the process of developing a romantic relationship for African American couples, juxtaposing currently married couples with divorced couples. Qualitative data analysis was implemented to answer the research questions. Interviews were conducted with each participant for an average of 1.25 hours. In study one; grounded theory was used to generate a theory to explain childhood influences on coupling for African Americans. In study two, interpretive phenomenology was used to learn of the process for developing healthy, rewarding relationships for this African American couples. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding procedures to support theory generation. Each study highlights themes related to African American couples along with research and clinical implications.
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