The relational experiences of Latinx immigrant couples living in the United States : an interpretative phenomenological analysis
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Nicole Silverio (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Kelly Wester
Abstract: Despite the large number of Latinx immigrant couples living in the United States (U.S), there is limited knowledge on their experiences and how counselors may best support them. Hosting 44.8 million immigrants, the U.S. is home to more immigrants than any other country in the world, 50% of whom are of Latinx origin (Budiman, 2020). Latinxs who immigrate to the U.S. face numerous stressors linked to deleterious mental health outcomes, including experiences with trauma (Vila & Pomeroy, 2020), acculturative stress (Cheng, 2022), discrimination (Bruzelius et al., 2019), and for some, challenges related to documentation (Giano, 2020; Rayburn et al, 2021). Simultaneously, culture-based values, such as familismo and the strong family support that comes along with it, have been found to act as protective factors for Latinx immigrants in the face of these stressors (Alegría et al., 2007; Ayón et al., 2010; Potochnick & Perreira, 2010). While there have been efforts to better understand the role of family support on Latinx mental health, much less is known about Latinx immigrant couples (Falconier et al., 2013). Learning more about this population from a relational perspective can be an important area of inquiry as most Latinx immigrants are in a committed relationship (Budiman et al., 2020), making it exceedingly likely that counselors will work with these couples. The purpose of this study was to address the knowledge gap on Latinx immigrant couples and their strengths by exploring the following two research questions: (1) What are Latinx immigrant couples’ relationship experiences after arriving to the U.S.? and (2) What are Latinx couples’ perceptions of how their relationship positively influenced their immigration experience after arriving to the U.S.? Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was deployed as the methodology to explore the proposed research questions, while Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) served as the theoretical framework. Data from 16 semi-structured interviews conducted with eight Latinx immigrant couples was analyzed to gather study results. A total of seven themes and 23 subthemes emerged from the analyzed data. These seven themes included: (1) Family is important, (2) Varied and meaningful motivations to immigrate, (3) Immigration brings challenges for the individual and the couple, (4) Experiences of trauma and acute stress, (5) “Nunca sabes de lo que estas hecho hasta que inmigras”: The use of resources, tools, and strategies for success, (6) “En la unión esta la fuerza”: The relationship as a resource to face challenges, and (7) “Valió la pena”: The benefits of immigrating. The themes, which described the challenges and stressors faced by the couples, as well as their strengths and resilience, provide with valuable information that may inform the development of effective assessment, treatment planning, and intervention tools. As a result, study findings also have implications for how counselor educators train students on the provision of multiculturally competent services to the large Latinx immigrant community living in the U.S.
The relational experiences of Latinx immigrant couples living in the United States : an interpretative phenomenological analysis
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Created on 5/1/2023
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2023
- Keywords
- Couples, Immigrants, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Latine, Latinx, Relational Cultural Theory
- Subjects
- Hispanic Americans $x Counseling of $z United States
- Minority couples $x Counseling of $z United States
- Immigrants $x Counseling of $z United States