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A Qualitative Study Investigating the Decision-Making Process

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A Qualitative Study Investigating the Decision-Making Process View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by K-State Research Exchange A QUALITATIVE STUDY INVESTIGATING THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN MARITAL INFIDELITY by MICHELLE MARCHESE JEANFREAU B.A., Wright State University, 1997 M.S., University of Southern Mississippi, 2002 AN ABSTRACT OF A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Family Studies and Human Services College of Human Ecology KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2009 Abstract This study used a qualitative approach as a means of exploring the decision-making process of women’s participation in marital infidelity. Due to the growing prevalence and negative effects of marital infidelity, it is important for both clinicians and researchers to understand its occurrence. Although there has been a significant amount of research on marital infidelity in recent years, there is not any significant research that looks at the process occurring in both the marital and extramarital relationships. This study focused on examining the process an individual goes through when making the decision to have an affair, particularly, how they were able to give themselves permission to have an affair. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four female participants who had participated in marital infidelity. The interviews were audio taped, transcribed, and analyzed using the transcendental phenomenological model (Moustakas, 1994). Four categories and 14 themes emerged, regarding the decision-making and permission-giving processes of women’s participation in marital infidelity. The women reported a lack of quality time spent with their husbands, as well as a lack of attention they received from their husbands. The women also discussed an inability to solve conflict within their marriage. The women reported developing relationships, outside of their marriage, either with ex-flames, old friends, or new friends, all of whom became their affair partner. The women reported the support of family and/or friends for the extramarital relationship, along with receiving positive attention from their affair partner. The women discussed the moral values as being a deterrent to marital infidelity, but did not perceive enough barriers or protective factors as preventing them from moving forward with the affair. Finally, the women described ways in which they were able to limit cognitive dissonance as a means of giving themselves permission to move forward with the affair. Clinical and research implications were discussed, as well as, the limitations of the current study. A QUALITATIVE STUDY INVESTIGATING THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN MARITAL INFIDELITY by MICHELLE MARCHESE JEANFREAU B.A., Wright State University, 1997 M.S., University of Southern Mississippi, 2002 A DISSERTATION submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Family Studies and Human Services College of Human Ecology KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2009 Approved by: Major Professor Anthony Jurich Copyright MICHELLE MARCHESE JEANFREAU 2009 Table of Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. x Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ xi Dedication .................................................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 Defining Marital Infidelity .......................................................................................................... 1 Importance of Studying Marital Infidelity .................................................................................. 2 The Purpose of this Study ........................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2 - Review of the Literature ......................................................................................... 7 Prevalence of Marital Infidelity .................................................................................................. 7 Gender Differences in Marital Infidelity .................................................................................. 10 Types of Marital Infidelity ........................................................................................................ 11 Theoretical Implications ........................................................................................................... 16 Attractions to Marriage ............................................................................................................. 19 Intimacy ................................................................................................................................ 20 Communication ..................................................................................................................... 21 Commitment ......................................................................................................................... 22 Attractions to Marital Infidelity ................................................................................................ 23 Characteristics of the marriage. ............................................................................................ 23 Need Fulfillment ............................................................................................................... 24 Self-Expansion Model ...................................................................................................... 24 Investment Model ............................................................................................................. 25 vi Equity Theory ................................................................................................................... 27 Deficit Model .................................................................................................................... 28 Personal Growth Model .................................................................................................... 30 Personal characteristics ......................................................................................................... 31 Narcissistic Traits .............................................................................................................. 32 Adult attachment ............................................................................................................... 34 Self-Esteem ....................................................................................................................... 36 Social Networks ................................................................................................................ 37 Barriers to Marital Infidelity ..................................................................................................... 38 Religiosity ............................................................................................................................. 38 Children ................................................................................................................................. 39 Opportunity and work environment ...................................................................................... 40 Social networks ..................................................................................................................... 41 Repulsions within the Marriage ................................................................................................ 41 Repulsions to Marital Infidelity ................................................................................................ 43 Attitudes Toward Marital Infidelity ...................................................................................... 43 The Idea of Permission Giving ................................................................................................. 44 CHAPTER 3 - METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 49 Research Design ....................................................................................................................... 49 Theoretical and Philosophical Frameworks .............................................................................. 49 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 51 Sampling Strategy ..................................................................................................................... 51 Data Collection ......................................................................................................................... 54 vii In-depth interviews. .............................................................................................................. 54 Researcher as a Measurement Tool .......................................................................................... 56 Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 59 CHAPTER 4 - RESULTS ............................................................................................................
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