Choice, Chance, or Circumstance: A Qualitative Study of Never-Married and Once-Married Women's Marriage Beliefs in Midlife

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dc.contributor.authorSoukup, Karla S. Jr.en
dc.contributor.committeechairAllen, Katherine R.en
dc.contributor.committeememberSporakowski, Michael J.en
dc.contributor.committeememberBlieszner, Rosemaryen
dc.contributor.departmentFamily and Child Developmenten
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:52:53Zen
dc.date.adate1998-04-24en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:52:53Zen
dc.date.issued1998-04-15en
dc.date.rdate1999-04-24en
dc.date.sdate1998-04-15en
dc.description.abstractAlthough previous research on singlehood has often focused on middle-class career women, little is known about the life experiences of non-career path single women. This study examined the core marriage beliefs of never-married and once-married child-free, midlife women and the ways in which those beliefs have evolved over time. The sample consisted of 10 women, 5 never-married and 5 once-married between the ages of 35 and 48. For the purposes of this inquiry, non-career path was co-determined on the basis of occupation and educational background. The theoretical framework that guided this study combined a life course approach with a feminist perspective. Respondents were recruited through extensive networking and the sampling technique of snowballing. A qualitative methodology was employed utilizing the research strategy of in-depth interviewing. Data were analyzed on the basis of emergent themes and patterns. This study produced 3 salient findings. First, the process of forming core marriage beliefs is similar between never-married and once-married women. Although an experience of marrying (or an experience of not marrying) may change the way a woman views herself within the context of her marital beliefs, those core marital beliefs do not necessarily change. Second, whether never-married or once-married, single midlife women live ambivalent lives: acknowledging their singlehood status while simultaneously remaining hopeful of attaining a marital union. Finally, women made a clear distinction between getting married and marrying successfully. While most believed that getting married was a choice, having a successful marriage was a result of chance. Despite this appraisal, the ideal of marriage remained pervasive regardless of age or past experience.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-32298-23539en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-32298-23539/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/46480en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartINTRO2.PDFen
dc.relation.haspartCHAPTER1.PDFen
dc.relation.haspartCHAPTER2.PDFen
dc.relation.haspartCHAPTER3.PDFen
dc.relation.haspartCHAPTER4.PDFen
dc.relation.haspartCHAPTER5.PDFen
dc.relation.haspartREFS.PDFen
dc.relation.haspartAPPENDICES.PDFen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectsingle womenen
dc.subjectmarriage beliefsen
dc.subjectmidlifeen
dc.subjectlife courseen
dc.subjectfeminist perspectiveen
dc.titleChoice, Chance, or Circumstance: A Qualitative Study of Never-Married and Once-Married Women's Marriage Beliefs in Midlifeen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineFamily and Child Developmenten
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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