Abstract
Determining who to marry can be one of the most meaningful and daunting decisions an individual can make during their lifetime. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of couples as they moved through varied partner selection decisions to become engaged and/or married to each other. Capturing the couples’ voice moves beyond individual partner preferences and attraction tendencies by inquiring how individuals use these variables to make complex partner selection decisions within the context of the relationship. A qualitative approach is used and thematic analysis is employed to analyze the data. Interviews with five engaged or married couples revealed that as part of the relationship deepening process, pivotal illuminating moments allowed subconscious partner preferences and expectations to surface. Couples enter a process to discern partner and relationship preferences and expectations and use external feedback from family and friends as a checks-and-balances function. Couples can utilize this information to make more informed partner selection decisions. Educators, clergy, and mental health professionals can supplement the content in pre-marital education curriculums and enhance couple interventions.
Published Version
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