Challenges and coping of couples in intercultural romantic love relationships

Abstract

This study explores the romantic love in intercultural couples and investigates the qualities that challenge them and help them succeed in their relationships. It uses a qualitative research design within the hermeneutical interpretative research paradigm, aiming to understand the phenomenon of love from different cultural perspectives. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed through content analysis. Qualitative quality criteria and ethical considerations were applied. Ethical consent was provided by Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. The findings represent the views of couples on their love and their relationship, in particular the challenged experienced and the coping strategies to overcome them. Challenges highlighted are the non-acceptance of the relationship by family members and friends; disagreement on cultural values, norms, rules, and rituals; communication in a third language; no language in common with family members; differences in concepts, such as religion, love, feelings, communication; building a common future, and minor differences in personality traits. The participants use individual and joint coping mechanisms to deal with challenges and stressors. These coping mechanisms include attitudes and behaviours regarding culture, awareness, faith and religion, learning, future orientation, and fighting together for the relationship. Conclusions are provided and recommendations for leading intercultural romantic relationships are given.

Keywords:

• Romantic love relationships
• intercultural couples
• love
• international study
• qualitative research

Acknowledgements

My thanks go to all of my participants and to my friend and colleague, Elisabeth Vanderheiden, who encouraged me to research love, intercultural relationship dynamics, and cultural influences in couples.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The names of participants were changed in this article due to anonymity and confidentiality reasons. All participants were given names according to the Greek alphabet.