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Objective: We used qualitative data to evaluate how religious and interfaith couples may view the influences of fidelity and/or loyalty on their marriage. Background: Religion often regulates beliefs surrounding marriage and sexuality. Religion tends to support fidelity to marital vows. Previous quantitative studies indicated that higher religiosity is linked with higher levels of marital stability and satisfaction. Method: Using semistructured interviews with 261 married couples (N = 522) who were identified as both religious and relational exemplars, the potential connections and processes between religion, relationships, and fidelity or integrity were examined. Results: Three core themes emerged from systematic team‐based analyses: (1) integrity and/or fidelity strengthened marital quality and stability, (2) integrity and/or fidelity were core marital values and virtues, and (3) religion taught, developed, and motivated marital integrity and fidelity. Three subthemes were identified under this final theme: (3a) religious lifestyle, (3b) religious beliefs, and (3c) commitment to God. Contradictory voices that expressed and described challenges to marital integrity and fidelity are presented. Conclusion: Couples discussed how their faiths' teachings on integrity and/or fidelity strengthened marital quality and stability, added to their core marital values and virtues, and motivated marital integrity and/or fidelity through a religious lifestyle, religious beliefs and morals, and commitment to God that built commitment and fidelity to spouse. Implications: Therapists and educators who recognize that these deeply held values contribute to couples' stability and satisfaction within their relationship may be able to ask, understand, and harness religious strengths to facilitate commonalities and satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The authors explored the psychosocial consequences of the COVID‐19 homestay lockdown for preschool‐age children and their parents using a mixed‐method design. Background: Few studies have examined the impact of a global pandemic on family adaptive processes among parents and their preschool age children. Method: Participants were 24 highly educated White and Asian parents with children enrolled in the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool (ECELP) at Louisiana State University. Parents completed an online survey that assessed sociodemographic and health characteristics, and they participated in an interview with their children. Results: Content analysis of parent and child narratives yielded four core themes: (a) expanded family time with family needs prioritized, (b) staying informed with current pandemic news, (c) positive experiences included more time spent with family, and (d) negative experiences included disruptions to family and work‐related routines. Conclusion: Personal and professional challenges that families faced during the COVID‐19 lockdown were loss of familiar routines, managing stressors, and protecting health. Positive factors included prioritization of family needs and new opportunities for intergenerational relationships with extended family and grandparents. Implications: Parents, teachers, and extended family support adaptive family processes that promote resilience and psychosocial well‐being despite the uncertainties of a global pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore qualitatively the connections among religion, hope, and relationships. Background: Both hope and religion have often been associated with positive individual and relational outcomes. Some research has found that hope mediates or moderates the relationship between religion and various outcomes. Despite the research that has been done to understand connections between religion and hope, little research has explored these constructs together in a relational context. Method: Using thematic analysis and a team‐based approach, we completed an analysis of in‐depth interviews with a large, culturally and religiously diverse strengths‐based sample of 198 highly religious families. Results: Two themes relating to the religious antecedents of hope were identified (religious beliefs and religious practices) as well as two themes that address the application or outcomes of hope (hope in family life and the experience of religious hopes). Several subthemes were also identified and are discussed and illustrated. Conclusions: For some families, religious beliefs and specific religious practices play an important role in fostering hope, and this hope was reported to enhance various elements of individual and family life. Implications: Results provide support for integrating religion and hope into various individual and relational therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical research suggests that married women may more commonly experience spousal pornography use as a relational attachment threat and are more likely to experience negative relational outcomes such as distress and loss of trust. The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory of married women's response to the discovery or disclosure of spousal pornography use. This study included the experiences of 30 married women who reported spousal pornography use as a threat to relational attachment, who chose to remain with their spouse, and who reported evidence of individual and relational healing thereafter. The research question, "How do married women describe the experience of learning of their spouse's pornography use and the individual and relationship sequelae that follow?" was explored using grounded theory methods to analyze deidentified blogpost accounts emphasizing response to a spouse's pornography use. The results describe a process model highlighting three interrelated informant categories—emotional response, mental response, and physical response—and one resultant category—behavioral response. Implications include (a) the importance of open communication regarding pornography use within relationships, (b) the necessity for individual and relational healing following betrayal trauma, and (c) the role of therapeutic intervention in shaping adaptive healing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and Background: We used qualitative methodology to explore forgiveness motivations and processes in an ethnically, economically, and geographically diverse sample of 198 highly religious Christian, Muslim, and Jewish families in the United States (N = 480). Prior research has identified several significant relational implications and outcomes of forgiveness. However, there is a need for additional research on forgiveness processes and motivations among highly religious families. Method: Families were interviewed jointly through a semistructured interview protocol. Analysis was conducted using thematic and team‐based coding procedures. Results: Core themes included (a) "Why forgive?": Relational, religious, and spiritual motivations; (b) "What enables state forgiveness?": Relational, religious, and spiritual processes; and (c) The role and development of trait forgiveness (forgivingness). Conclusion: Findings highlight the relational, religious, and spiritual motivations and processes present in forgiveness and the role religious/spiritual beliefs and practices play in those processes. Additionally, findings illustrate participants' value of the virtue of forgivingness and reported religious and relational processes that helped in developing the trait of forgivingness. Implications: We offer several questions that can be used as a starting point for practitioners to work within the worldview of religious clients to empower individuals, couples, and families to forgive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study used in‐depth interviews with Black and African American couples in happy, long‐term marriages to capture advice that can serve to convey the hurdles and expectations of marriage in the African American community. Background: The U.S. Census Bureau reports that only 29% of African Americans are married. However, the majority of African Americans still desire marriage themselves. Therefore, the advice and experiences of enduring African American couples could be beneficial to those younger couples hoping to one day marry. Method: Interviews and a semistructured interview protocol were used to gather data on marital experiences and counsel from 35 happily married African American couples. Data were analyzed using qualitative methods consistent with Marks (2015) Numeric Content Analysis. Results: Three emergent themes related to forming and strengthening African American marriages are discussed: (a) Communication Keeps Small Issues From Becoming Big Barriers; (b) Share Roles, Share Responsibilities; and (c) Manage Your Money to Manage Your Marriage. Conclusion: Key aspects of strong African American marriages include the ability to maintain open lines of communication, to adjust spousal roles with emerging stressors, and to agree on the management of income and assets. Implications: This study informs young African American couples, family life educators, and marriage therapists on the common experiences and perspectives in long‐lasting African American marriages. Using this information, young African Americans and those engaging African Americans can work to build stronger families and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this article is to qualitatively explore how religion can be a catalyst or support for positive, spontaneous transformations in families and the timing of these transformations. Background: There is a paucity of empirical literature that discusses how positive change or transformation occurs within families independent of professional intervention. Research has shown that religion can have many positive influences on family relationships, but more research is needed that explores religion and religiosity as a transformative agent in familial relationships. Method: Using interviews from 198 racially diverse, marriage‐based families (N = 476 participants) from Abrahamic faiths (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam), we employed a team‐based methodology to code and analyze accounts of positive relational transformation. Results: Two themes relating to the timing of transformation, gradual and sudden, along with supports and catalysts for these transformations were identified from qualitative data analysis. These themes are presented with supportive illustrations. Conclusion: For some families, religious experiences did reportedly help inspire and transform their marriages and family relationships. Implications: This study suggests that religion can lead to positive transformation in families, and thus religion may be an effective tool families, religious leaders, and therapists can use to improve and transform family relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore personal and interpersonal processes that encourage relational reconciliation in nonclinical religious families. Background: Few studies have addressed what reconciliation is and when it is beneficial. Although intergroup reconciliation has been well documented, little research has addressed relational reconciliation in families. We focus on relational reconciliation pertaining to more normative and typical relational hurts and offenses that nearly all families experience, rather than severe offenses that might be best addressed in a clinical setting. Method: Using systematic qualitative methods, in‐depth interviews from a nonclinical, exemplar sample of 198 religiously, ethnically, and geographically diverse mothers, fathers, and adolescents were coded and analyzed. Research questions focused on what circumstances led to a need for reconciliation, what motivated families to reconcile, how families reconciled, and what benefits families received from reconciling. Results: Families were reportedly motivated to reconcile (a) because of their religious beliefs, (b) because they could see a "bigger picture" beyond the immediate conflict, and (c) because they felt that they had been recipients of God's love and forgiveness. The process of reconciliation involved (a) praying to God for help (spiritual processes), (b) admitting mistakes and taking responsibility (personal processes), (c) forgiving and being forgiven (relational processes), and (d) working to fix problems and make amends (practical processes). Conclusion: Consistent with previous research, these processes reportedly fostered self‐healing following relational distance and led to positive relational outcomes. Implications: When self‐healing does not occur, clinicians, pastoral counselors, and family life educators may play an important role in helping individuals and families develop and incorporate the transformative processes of reconciliation identified in our data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study seeks to explore ways that members of religious families (of Abrahamic faiths) struggle with and address the relational processes of sacrifice and self‐care. Background: Sacrifice and self‐care influence human relationships, and as such, every human has to learn how to engage in them. Families are one of the many communities in which one must address sacrifice and self‐care. Method: This study provides a qualitative exploration of sacrifice and self‐care among a sample of 198 highly religious (Abrahamic faiths) families. In‐depth analyses explored motivations, types, and related family processes among family relationships. Results: A conceptual model illustrates sacrifice and self‐care in family life using an interdependence theory approach. Five themes from the data about how families perceived and addressed these relational processes are discussed: (a) tensions between sacrifice and self‐care, (b) motivations for sacrifice and self‐care, (c) types of sacrifice, (d) types of self‐care, and (e) processes in faith and family relationships. Discussion: Religious beliefs may shape how sacrifice and self‐care processes are perceived and potential tensions are addressed through either positive or negative ways. We suggest that engaging in sacrifice and self‐care with equal quality, not quantity, might be a positive way to address the emergent tensions between these processes. Implications: Through an increased understanding of the connections and tensions between sacrifice and self‐care, researchers and practitioners will be able to better recognize how families positively address these tensions and collaboratively build resources to help family members harmonize engagement in sacrifice and self‐care to benefit relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generative devotion is a middle‐range theory grounded in analyses of interviews with religious and nonreligious families that illuminates ways religion can facilitate strong family relations within and across generations. Generative devotion is a way of approaching religious and spiritual beliefs, practices, and communities that attends to the long‐term well‐being of family members, is essentially other‐oriented, responds to abiding needs of persons, respects the agency of others, and is consciously relational in nature. This article discusses various influences that have informed the development of the theoretical framework of generative devotion; the major terms of the framework and how generative devotion differs from other forms of religious devotion; 10 pathways to generative devotion; a metaprocess (generative family conversations) to better realize generative devotion; and assumptions about devotion in general, shared devotion, and generative devotion. Concepts are illustrated with quotes from in‐depth interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To qualitatively explore the whats and hows of financial socialization in families, as reported by emerging adults and their parents and grandparents. Background: Previous research has examined the positive impact of financial socialization in families as well as the negative consequences of a lack of sufficient financial education. However, there is a need to explore the breadth of parent–child financial socialization methods and topics. Method: A convenience sample of 90 emerging adults (18–30 years of age), 17 of their parents, and eight of their grandparents (N = 115) were interviewed at three diverse universities regarding what and how their parents taught them about money. Parents and grandparents were also interviewed regarding what and how they taught their children about money. Results: Thematic content coding revealed three core how themes (modeling, discussion, and experiential learning) and four core what themes (financial planning, work ethic, money management, and sharing). The themes coded most often were discussion and money management. Conclusion: The findings provide a starting point for gaining insight about how and what parents teach children about money but leave many questions unanswered that future research will need to address to build efficient and effective evidence‐based approaches for parental financial socialization in future generations. Implications: Family life educators and others can use our findings to better understand how financial socialization occurs in families as a necessary step in ultimately improving financial socialization and increasing the financial capability and independence of emerging adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: Multiple exposures to disaster are associated with high levels of stress and with long‐term consequences for survivors. However, little is known about coping and resilience in multiple disaster contexts. In this study, we focused on spiritual and secular coping resources and the roles they may play in postdisaster resilience. Methods: Participants were noncoastal and coastal residents exposed to the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Psychosocial predictors of central interest were (a) spiritual support and (b) use of coping through humor, and both were hypothesized to be associated with resilience. Covariates included group, gender, education, income, social engagement, charitable work done for others, and lifetime trauma. Findings: Logistic regression analyses confirmed that spiritual support (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, p ≤ .01) and use of coping through humor (OR = 1.17, p ≤ .01) were independently and positively associated with resilience. Disruption in charitable work done for others in a typical year before the hurricanes (OR = 0.49, p ≤ .05) and income of less than $2,000 per month were negatively associated with resilience (OR = 0.47, p ≤ .05). Conclusions: These data show that spirituality, humor, disruptions in charitable work, and low income were all independently associated with resilience in the years after consecutive disasters. Clinical Relevance: Experiencing one or more disasters can create chronic psychosocial stress in an individual, which is associated with long‐term health effects such as inflammation and weakened immune function. Recognizing which coping resources bolster resilience rather than harm is important for improving quality of life in disaster victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article provides a deep and more focused look at the utility, meaning, processes, and power involved in a specific, family‐level, sacred practice or ritual from Judaism: Shabbat (Sabbath). Content analysis of in‐depth interviews with 30 diverse, marriage‐based Jewish families living in the United States (N = 77 individuals) yielded three emergent themes: (a) “Shabbat brings us closer together”; (b) How Shabbat brings the family together; and (c) The Power of Blessing the Children. These themes will be discussed respectively, along with related verbatim data from participants’ in‐depth qualitative interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests that religion can both help and harm families. We posit that a central reason for these divergent outcomes is a system of dualities at the nexus of religion and family. We propose a conceptual framework of a dynamic system of religious and relational dualities. We propose eight dualities: (a) transcendent and mundane spiritual experiences may affect families, (b) families may experience God as a close confidant and an authority figure, (c) religion in families may involve accepting and refusing actions, (d) religion in families may include religious expectations and relational compensators, (e) religion in families may generate and address relational struggles, (f) religion in families may be relationally divisive and unifying, (g) religion in families may bring perplexing mysteries and profound meanings, and (h) religion in families may be a transforming and a maintaining influence. We discuss how these dualities lead to outcomes that help and harm families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fishing communities along the U. S. Gulf Coast have experienced catastrophic disasters including hurricanes and the BP oil spill. Exposure to such events, and subsequent losses, are known to be associated with psychological distress. This distress may be lessened through adaptive coping behaviors, although prior trauma may affect coping responses. Sixty-four south Louisiana commercial fishers (21-90 years old) completed the Brief COPE to assess strategies for coping with oil spill stress 12-26 months after the spill. Regression analyses indicated that storm-related stressors and lifetime traumatic events predicted different styles of coping; however, only avoidant emotional coping predicted more symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress. These data suggest that prior and current traumatic experiences may hinder effective coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leading scholars of marital processes strongly recommend supplementing the current focus on marital conflict to include research on transformative processes. This qualitative study examines the connection between religion and the transformative processes of commitment and coping in marriage. The sample for this study includes 184 married couples (N = 368 individuals), making it far larger than most in-depth, qualitative interview-based studies. Participants included Christians, Jews, and Muslims with an over sampling of minorities and immigrant families living in all eight regions of the United States. For several decades studies have shown a largely positive correlation between (a) religiosity and marital commitment and (b) religiosity and (generally) positive coping, but with little explanation regarding how and why. Findings of this study indicate that there are specific religious beliefs and practices related to how these couples approach their marriages-including several that relate to the two transformative processes of commitment and coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors examined the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on cognitive and psychosocial functioning in a lifespan sample of adults 6-14 months after the storms. Participants were recruited from the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study. Most were assessed during the immediate impact period and retested for this study. Analyses of pre- and post-disaster cognitive data confirmed that storm-related decrements in working memory for middle-aged and older adults observed in the immediate impact period had returned to pre-hurricane levels in the post-disaster recovery period. Middle-aged adults reported more storm-related stressors and greater levels of stress than the two older groups at both waves of testing. These results are consistent with a burden perspective on post-disaster psychological reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing qualitative interviews with a diverse national sample of 184 religious families (N = 445 individuals), we present an in-depth look at how participants (a) view and frame their faith-based financial giving, (b) how they contribute to and receive from their faith communities, and (c) how the blending of faith and finances influences their marital and parental relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty African American married couples ( N = 60 individuals) were interviewed regarding the challenges and benefits of their happy, enduring marriages. Qualitative coding and analysis revealed 4 key themes: (1) Challenges in African American Marriages, (2) Overcoming External Challenges to Marriage, (3) Resolving Intramarital Conflict, and (4) Unity and the Importance of Being “Equally Yoked.” Supporting qualitative data are presented in connection with each theme. Implications for enduring marriages among African Americans specifically are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]