Does Engagement Matter? Marital Intentions and Relationship Quality Among Cohabiting African Americans

Abstract

Despite growing cohabitation rates, few studies have examined the relationship between engagement status and relationship quality among cohabiting couples, especially among Black Americans. This study used data from 30 cohabiting Black couples (n = 60) to examine whether perceptions of love, commitment, relationship satisfaction, and intimacy problems differ by whether cohabitors are engaged to be married. Results indicated that engaged Black cohabitors reported higher love scores than non-engaged Black cohabitors. They also had slightly more intimacy problems, but only in bivariate models. There were no significant differences in commitment or satisfaction between engaged and non-engaged Black cohabitors. Additional analyses revealed no variation in effect of engagement on relationship quality by gender. Results suggest that practitioners and policymakers should be careful not to make assumptions about relationship quality according to engagement status or gender in cohabiting Black relationships. The meaning and implications of engagement among cohabiting Black Americans may be changing.

KEYWORDS:

• African American
• Black
• cohabitation
• commitment
• engagement
• relationship quality

Notes

*p < .05, **p < .01.

Note. Bi. = bivariate, Multi. = multivariate.

*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.