Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations
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Date of Award
1-1-2014
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Conflict Analysis and Resolution
First Advisor
Dustin Berna
Abstract
This phenomenological study examined the lived experience of ten middle-aged, happily married couples regarding the role that conflict over closeness/distance issues play in their marriage. With one exception, the couples selected for this study had been married for at least eight years, self-identify as middle-aged (range from 40s-60s) and self-identify as being happily married. Couples were recruited via social media. Openended, semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone, recorded and transcribed and/or listened to closely. Common themes were identified and reflected upon. Most notable, a single “turning point” incident was identified by most of the couples. This incident, often a health crisis or some kind of problem, served to bring them closer together as a couple. For example, a common theme was that the dyad discovered that they could only rely on one another in times of crisis. This incident later served as a template for resolving issues in the marriage. In some cases, the incident had been forgotten prior to the telephone interview, or the significance of the incident had been misinterpreted by one or both members of the dyad; it is evident that, for many people, speaking about distance and distance-seeking behavior is a difficult and/or painful experience. The researcher then viewed the experiences through the lenses of attachment theory, social constructionism and attribution theory and a hypothesis proposed regarding intrapersonal vs. interpersonal conflict. Researchers studying closeness/distance will likely want to speak with unhappily married couples, divorcing couples or divorced individuals in the future to compare the experience.
NSUWorks Citation
Scott Gerschwer. 2014. The Lived Experience of Middle-Aged, Happily Married Couples With Regard to Conflict Over Closeness/Distance Issues: A Phenomenological Study. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (278)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_dcar_etd/278.