Exploring the Lived Experiences and Relationship Processes Among African American Couples Who Remained Sexually Abstinent Until Marriage
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2020 Deciding to wait: Exploring the lived experiences and relationship processes among African American couples who remained sexually abstinent until marriage Emily Nanci McKnight Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Recommended Citation McKnight, Emily Nanci, "Deciding to wait: Exploring the lived experiences and relationship processes among African American couples who remained sexually abstinent until marriage" (2020). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 18357. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/18357 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Deciding to wait: Exploring the lived experiences and relationship processes among African American couples who remained sexually abstinent until marriage by Emily Nanci McKnight A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Human Development and Family Studies Program of Study Committee: Tera Jordan, Major Professor Carolyn Cutrona Megan Gilligan Peter Martin Janet Melby The student author, whose presentation of the scholarship herein was approved by the program of study committee, is solely responsible for the content of this dissertation. The Graduate College will ensure this dissertation is globally accessible and will not permit alterations after a degree is conferred. Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2020 Copyright © Emily Nanci McKnight, 2020. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION Devin Ever since we met at the age of 15, you’ve been a great friend and a man of your word. You spoke with confidence and clarity, well beyond your years. At 19, you declared that you’d help me raise Emani and obtain my Ph.D. We broke up later that year, with low funds and long distance taking the win. At 32, you told me that I had never been loved by a godly man and if I would give you the opportunity that I wouldn’t regret it. You were right. I dedicate this dissertation to you. You have not only supported me through this degree, as you said you would, but helped raise not one but four of our children. You ushered Emani through undergrad and towards a career and life of her own. You guided Kennedy through her teen-girl moments, sports (never missing a game), and on to becoming an exceptional student. Devin Lawson, fostering his brilliant mind, and Eden Joy, our “Iowa Ph.D. baby,” channeling her adventurous spirit. You lost one parent and helped the other beat cancer; yet while I read, wrote, presented, and cried, you somehow kept this family afloat. Four years, three states, and a pandemic later, you have been the rock that got us through. You came back to me and fulfilled everything you’ve ever said. May God reward you for your faithfulness. Randie My friend, my office-mate at ISU, I would have never imagined writing this. You were a voice of reason, made over-sharing a thing-to-do, and exhibited true sisterhood. I thank God for pairing us in 79 LeBaron. For every woman of color who resides in that office hereafter, this, too, is for you. “We got this” - Randie D. Camp (1983 – 2020) iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................... vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................. viii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1 Background and Context ............................................................................................................ 1 Problem Statement ..................................................................................................................... 3 Statement of Purpose ................................................................................................................. 4 Research Questions and Anticipated Hypothesized Relationships ............................................ 4 Research Approach ..................................................................................................................... 5 Researcher Assumptions ............................................................................................................ 6 Rationale and Significance .......................................................................................................... 7 Definitions of Key Terminology................................................................................................... 8 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................. 13 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 13 Demographic Marital Trends .................................................................................................... 13 The State of Black Marriage ...................................................................................................... 14 Transformational Change ......................................................................................................... 22 Benefit of Marriage for African Americans ............................................................................... 28 Theory and Conceptualization of SA ......................................................................................... 33 Literature on SA ........................................................................................................................ 39 Gaps in the Literature ............................................................................................................... 51 Significance ............................................................................................................................... 53 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................ 56 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 56 Rationale for Qualitative Research Design ............................................................................... 56 Rationale for Phenomenological Methodology ........................................................................ 58 Role of Researcher .................................................................................................................... 61 The Research Sample ................................................................................................................ 63 Research Design ........................................................................................................................ 70 Data Analyses and Synthesis ..................................................................................................... 78 Ethical Considerations .............................................................................................................. 80 Issues of Trustworthiness ......................................................................................................... 80 Delimitations ............................................................................................................................. 87 iv Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 88 CHAPTER 4. RESULTS ..................................................................................................................... 90 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 90 The Experience of SA as Youth ................................................................................................. 91 The Experience of SA in Adulthood .......................................................................................... 99 Spiritual Connections in Partner Selection ............................................................................. 113 The Experience of SA in Romantic Relationships ................................................................... 119 Connections Between SA and Romantic Relationships .......................................................... 133 Connection Between SA and Marriage ................................................................................... 141 Dyadic Interview