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A Qualitative Study of Nigerian Couples in the United States: Examining Emotional Reactivity and the Concept of Differentiation of Self

Okpara, Benson
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1382706181

Abstract Details

2013, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy.
ABSTRACT The purpose of the Study is to examine emotional reactivity of Nigeria couples in US in line with the concept of differentiation of self. This is very important because some Nigerian families’ emotional reactivity in the U.S. had caused numerous divorces and separations, as well as physical, emotional, and mental abuse of spouses and children. The main research question the researcher sets out to answer in the study is (a) what role does emotional reactivity play in the marital stability within the family system of Nigerian immigrants in the U.S.? The following sub-questions helped to answer the main research question. (i) What are the difficulties and consequent stressors? (ii) What is perceived as different from life in Nigeria? (iii) What is the nature of change and adaption to life in the U.S? (iv)What is the impact on marriage and family? Five Nigerian couples who are struggling to hold on to their marital union were used for the Study. A phenomenological research approach was used to understand the effects of their emotional reactivity on the stability of their marriages. This approach emphasizes the meaning participants derive from their life experience and validates their individual and social construction of reality Through the analysis of the couples’ interview the following themes emerged (a) Role Reversal/Adaptation (b) Financial stress (c) Lack of support network (d) Experience of Discrimination in places of work. The study also made the following findings that a good understanding of the Bowen differentiation of self (togetherness and individualism) will help Nigerian couples to master their emotional reactions in the face of stressful daily life in the US. Suggestions for future study in the area of the study and researcher’s personal recommendation were discussed
Karin Jordan, Dr. (Advisor)
Suzanne MacDonald , Dr. (Committee Member)
Rebecca Boyle, Dr. (Committee Member)
Cynthia Reynolds, Dr. (Committee Member)
John Queener, Dr. (Committee Member)
168 p.
Counseling Education
Examining emotional reactivity of Nigeria couples in US in line with the concept of differentiation of self

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Okpara, B. (2013). A Qualitative Study of Nigerian Couples in the United States: Examining Emotional Reactivity and the Concept of Differentiation of Self [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1382706181

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Okpara, Benson. A Qualitative Study of Nigerian Couples in the United States: Examining Emotional Reactivity and the Concept of Differentiation of Self . 2013. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1382706181.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Okpara, Benson. "A Qualitative Study of Nigerian Couples in the United States: Examining Emotional Reactivity and the Concept of Differentiation of Self ." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1382706181

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1382706181
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© 2013, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License A Qualitative Study of Nigerian Couples in the United States: Examining Emotional Reactivity and the Concept of Differentiation of Self by Benson Okpara is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.