Dissertation
An exploration of newlyweds’ experiences in the transition into marriage using relational uncertainty and uncertainty management theory
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2023
DOI: 10.25820/etd.007006
Abstract
The aim of this dissertation study is to examine newly married individuals’ experiences with uncertainty and uncertainty management through a relational uncertainty and uncertainty management theoretical framework. I conducted 50 semi-structured interviews over zoom.com using the audio-only function. I purposefully sampled newlyweds who experienced parental divorce (N= 23) and those who did not (N= 27). I took a two-step approach to examining these interviews. First, I conducted a content analysis to reveal newlyweds’ uncertainties and how they communicatively managed their uncertainty. Then, I used the themes to generate codebooks and conducted a content analysis to determine if there were any significant differences between newlyweds based on their parents’ marital status.
Findings suggest that newlyweds experience five themes of uncertainties: happiness and stability in marriage, uncertainty about the transition into marriage, uncertainty about life course decisions, uncertainty about day-to-day spousal dynamics, and family system uncertainty. Between newlyweds with divorced and nondivorced families, newlyweds with divorced families were more likely to experience uncertainty about happiness and stability in marriage overall, to be uncertain about how to have a happy marriage, and to doubt their own ability to be a good spouse. Newlyweds chose to manage their uncertainty through a myriad of ways including strategic information avoidance, strategic information seeking through collaboration, and conversationally managing uncertainty with spouse. Newlyweds did not significantly differ in their uncertainty management strategies, but it is interesting to note that all fifty participants spoke to their spouse about at least one uncertainty, highlighting the important role of spouses in uncertainty management in the transition into marriage.
Findings suggest that newlyweds who experienced parental divorce more frequently report uncertainties relating to the happiness and stability of marriage compared to newlyweds from non-divorced families. I discuss the implications of my findings on the literature, address this study’s limitations and propose future directions for newlywed research.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- An exploration of newlyweds’ experiences in the transition into marriage using relational uncertainty and uncertainty management theory
- Creators
- Jaclyn Marie Reed
- Contributors
- Rachel McLaren (Advisor)Sylvia Mikucki-Enyart (Committee Member)Andy High (Committee Member)Steve Hitlin (Committee Member)Paul Windschitl (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Communication Studies
- Date degree season
- Spring 2023
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.007006
- Number of pages
- xiii, 131 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2023 Jaclyn Marie Reed
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/25/2023
- Date approved
- 05/08/2023
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 100-112).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
- The transition from engagement to marriage raises questions for newlyweds. The goal of my dissertation study is to examine newly married individuals’ experiences with uncertainty, explore if and how they choose to manage their uncertainty through communication, and to investigate if there are any significant differences between newlyweds from divorced families and nondivorced families. I conducted 50 semi-structured interviews over zoom.com using the audio-only function. I purposefully sampled newlyweds who experienced parental divorce (N= 23) and those who did not (N= 27). To analyze the data, I first created themes to describe the overarching uncertainties and ways newlyweds chose to manage their uncertainty. Once themes were refined, I coded all fifty transcripts by the presence or absence of codes to determine if any themes were unique to divorced or nondivorced families. Findings suggest that newlyweds experience five major themes of uncertainty: happiness and stability in marriage, uncertainty about the transition into marriage, uncertainty about life course decisions, uncertainty about day-to-day spousal dynamics, and family systems uncertainty. Between newlyweds with divorced and nondivorced families, newlyweds with divorced families were more likely to experience uncertainty about happiness and stability in marriage overall, to be uncertain about how to have a happy marriage, and to doubt their own ability to be a good spouse. Newlyweds chose to manage their uncertainty through a myriad of ways including strategic information avoidance, strategic information seeking through collaboration, and conversationally managing uncertainty with spouse. Newlyweds did not significantly differ in their uncertainty management strategies, but it is interesting to note that all fifty participants spoke to their spouse about at least one uncertainty, highlighting the important role of spouses in uncertainty management in the transition into marriage. Findings suggest that newlyweds who experience parental divorce have unique uncertainties relating to the happiness and stability of marriage. I discuss the implications of findings on the literature, address this study’s limitations and propose future directions for newlywed research.
- Academic Unit
- Communication Studies
- Record Identifier
- 9984424789902771
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