marital satisfaction: factors for black caribbean and african american couples nivischi ngozi...
TRANSCRIPT
Marital Satisfaction: Marital Satisfaction: Factors for Black Factors for Black
Caribbean and African Caribbean and African American CouplesAmerican Couples
Nivischi Ngozi EdwardsCounselor Education
UCF-CED 2nd Annual Faculty & Student Research Symposium
April 15, 2009
OverviewOverview
• Inspiration for research focus• “Research on marital satisfaction among Caribbean Blacks in the U.S. is virtually nonexistent.”
(Bryant et al., 2008)
IntroductionIntroduction
• Marital satisfaction –Primary indicator of happy marriages –Data for White and Spanish speaking couples
–Minimal data for African American and Black Caribbean couples
• Black Caribbean & African American Couples–Culturally distinct yet often lumped together
OverviewOverview
• Black marriages are declining in America• Divorce is rising in Black America• Black Caribbean population in the US–Grew 67% between 1990 & 2000–More than 1.5 million US Blacks are Caribbean
• Impact of ethnicity and culture on marriage
DataData
• National Survey of American Life–First major study of Black Caribbeans –Collected from 2001 – 2003–Total: 1917 Participants–1248 African American–669 Black Caribbean–Marital satisfaction measurement
Caribbean Countries most Caribbean Countries most RepresentedRepresented
• 6 Countries Represent 75.2% of sample
– Jamaica 32.0%– Haiti 18.7%– Trinidad & Tobago 10.5%– Guyana 5.6%– Barbados 4.7%– Puerto Rico 3.8%
VariablesVariables
•Independent–Marital Satisfaction
•Dependent- Ethnicity - Family Support- Education - Friend Support- Income- Religion/Spirituality
Research Question OneResearch Question One
• What differences exist in marital satisfaction between Black Caribbean and African Americans? –Ho1: No difference in marital satisfaction exists between Black Caribbean (M=1.48, SD=.66) and African American (M=1.44, SD=.68). (ANOVA)–Results: Null supported, no difference exists (F=1.71, p=.19)
Research Question TwoResearch Question Two
• What differences exists in marital satisfaction among the different levels of education for Black Caribbean and African American participants?– Ho1: Marital satisfaction X Education for ALL (ANOVA, F=4.51, p=.004)
– Ho2: Marital satisfaction X Education for Black Caribbeans (ANOVA, F=6.55, p=,000)
– Ho3: Marital satisfaction X Education for African Americans (ANOVA, F=1.82, p=.14)
Tukey Post Hoc Tukey Post Hoc AnalysesAnalyses
Group Education Mean SD p-value
ALL
0-11 1.38 .68.0112 1.51 .73
12 1.51 .73.04>=16 1.40 .60
BLACK
C ARIB
B E
A N
0-11 1.40 .70.0112 1.64 .74
12 1.64 .74.0413-15 1.46 .59
12 1.64 .74.00>=16 1.36 .57
Research Question Research Question ThreeThree
• What differences exists in marital satisfaction and income, religion and spirituality, family support, and friend support between Black Caribbean and African American survey participants? – Ho1: Income (MANOVA, p=.000)– Ho2: Religion & Spirituality (MANOVA, p=.013)
– Ho3: Family Support (MANOVA, p=.40)– Ho4: Friend Support (MANOVA, p=.40)
Follow-Up Univariate Follow-Up Univariate ANOVAsANOVAs
• Black Caribbeans reported significantly higher mean income (M=$31,978) than African-Americans (M=$25,844) but no significant differences in marital satisfaction.
• Black Caribbeans reported slightly higher levels of religion and spirituality (M=6.24) than African-Americans (M=5.97) but no significant differences in marital satisfaction.
SummarySummary
• Key Findings:– Although marital satisfaction in Black Caribbeans
is slightly higher than African Americans, the difference is not significant.
– Black Caribbeans with 12 years education have significantly higher marital satisfaction than the other three age groups. No significant differences for African Americans.
– Black Caribbeans have significantly higher mean income and mean level of religion and spirituality than African Americans.
– Black Caribbeans reported greater mean family support and less mean friend support but differences were not significant.
ImplicationsImplications
• At this time, additional research is needed:• From existing data set:– Examination of age, birth order, and duration of marriage.
• New research:– Survey Black Caribbean participants presently residing in the Caribbean and compare;
– Differences in expectations between the groups
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Nivischi Ngozi Edwards, M.A., LMHC, NCC, DCCDoctoral Candidate
University of Central Florida, Orlando, [email protected]