Abstract

This study examines the influence of religion on relational spirituality among 33 Black married couples (N = 66). Previous research has largely relied on samples of White middle-class Americans to assess aspects of relational spirituality within marriages. In contrast, this study uses in-depth qualitative interviews from socioeconomically diverse Black married couples to determine how religion informs perceptions of relational spirituality among an underexamined population. Findings show that Black married couples employ mechanisms of relational spirituality in several ways. Specifically, Black married couples utilize relational spirituality for maintaining and transforming their marriage through: (a) Putting God First; (b) Studying and Applying the Word of God; and (c) Giving Their Life Over to God. Implications of findings from this study suggest that relational spirituality may foster increased marital satisfaction, quality, and commitment, thereby serving as a potential buffer against divorce for Black couples. Implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed.

摘要

本研究考察了宗教对 33 对黑人已婚夫妇（N = 66）。以前的研究主要依靠美国白人中产阶级的样本来评估婚姻中关系灵性的各个方面。相比之下，本研究使用来自社会经济多元化的黑人已婚夫妇的深入定性访谈来确定宗教如何影响未充分调查人群对关系灵性的看法。调查结果表明，黑人已婚夫妇以多种方式使用关系灵性机制。具体而言，黑人已婚夫妇通过以下方式利用关系灵性来维持和改变他们的婚姻：(a) 把上帝放在首位；(b) 学习和应用上帝的话语；(c) 将他们的生命交给上帝。本研究结果的含义表明，关系灵性可能会提高婚姻满意度、质量和承诺，从而作为黑人夫妇离婚的潜在缓冲。还讨论了对未来研究的影响和建议。