African American marriage rates have declined over the years. This qualitative study examines the ways in which African American young adult women describe their desires in potential long-term (possibly marriage) partners. The following research questions guided the study: (a) What are young adult African American women’s perceptions as it relates to long-term relationships and marriage? and (b) What qualities do African American young adult women desire in a long-term partner? A total of 35 African American young adults participated in the study. Findings for the study indicated that childhood observations of family members’ relationships, personality traits, and values had great influence in the type of partner desired. The study offers several recommendations for future research and strategies for marriage and family practices in the African American community.

中文翻译：

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非洲裔美国年轻成年女性关于爱情的故事：我想要长期伴侣

多年来，非裔美国人的结婚率下降了。这项定性研究考察了非洲裔美国年轻成年女性如何描述潜在的长期（可能是婚姻）伴侣的愿望。以下研究问题指导了该研究：（a）年轻的成年非洲裔美国妇女对长期关系和婚姻的看法是什么？（b）非洲裔美国年轻成年女性在长期伴侣中有哪些素质？共有35位非洲裔美国年轻人参加了这项研究。研究结果表明，童年时期对家庭成员的关系，性格特征和价值观的观察对所需伴侣的类型影响很大。