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

15

.

Nivischi Ngozi Edwards, M.A., LMHC, NCC, DCCDoctoral Candidate

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FLnivischi@yahoo.com