Marital Expectations and Marital Satisfaction Between African Immigrant and United States Born Married Couples

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between marital expectations and marital satisfaction among U.S. born (n=157; females=51.6%) and immigrant African couples (n=43; females=44.6%) who were faith community members. The participants completed the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS; Hendrick, 1988), Relationship Pleasure Scale (RPS; PAIRS Foundation, 1993) and the Ngazimbi-Daire Marital Expectations Questionnaire (MEQ), developed by the authors to measure marital expectations. Regression analysis results revealed a significant relationship between marital expectations and marital satisfaction for the African immigrant participants, but not among the United States born married participants.

Keywords:

• marital expectations
• marital satisfaction
• Seventh-day Adventists
• African immigrant married participants
• United States born married participants