dc.contributor.author	Soukup, Karla S. Jr.	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Allen, Katherine R.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Sporakowski, Michael J.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Blieszner, Rosemary	en
dc.contributor.department	Family and Child Development	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-14T21:52:53Z	en
dc.date.adate	1998-04-24	en
dc.date.available	2014-03-14T21:52:53Z	en
dc.date.issued	1998-04-15	en
dc.date.rdate	1999-04-24	en
dc.date.sdate	1998-04-15	en
dc.description.abstract	Although 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.degree	Master of Science	en
dc.identifier.other	etd-32298-23539	en
dc.identifier.sourceurl	http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-32298-23539/	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10919/46480	en
dc.publisher	Virginia Tech	en
dc.relation.haspart	INTRO2.PDF	en
dc.relation.haspart	CHAPTER1.PDF	en
dc.relation.haspart	CHAPTER2.PDF	en
dc.relation.haspart	CHAPTER3.PDF	en
dc.relation.haspart	CHAPTER4.PDF	en
dc.relation.haspart	CHAPTER5.PDF	en
dc.relation.haspart	REFS.PDF	en
dc.relation.haspart	APPENDICES.PDF	en
dc.rights	In Copyright	en
dc.rights.uri	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/	en
dc.subject	single women	en
dc.subject	marriage beliefs	en
dc.subject	midlife	en
dc.subject	life course	en
dc.subject	feminist perspective	en
dc.title	Choice, Chance, or Circumstance: A Qualitative Study of Never-Married and Once-Married Women's Marriage Beliefs in Midlife	en
dc.type	Thesis	en
thesis.degree.discipline	Family and Child Development	en
thesis.degree.grantor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	en
thesis.degree.level	masters	en
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science	en

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

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