A phenomenological study of the impact of personal expectations on personal experiences of marriage and divorc

Research has indicated that communication, finances, role expectations, and commitment are factors that influence a couple's decision to divorce. Little is known from the existing literature about how each spouse's personal expectations contributed to this decision. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore how individual expectations of marriage influenced the overall quality of marriage and the eventual outcome of divorce. The target population consisted of a purposeful sample of 16 participants (eight men and eight women) over the age of 18 who had divorced. Participants were interviewed using a structured interview that consisted of 13 open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using Moustakas's framework of thematic content analysis. The results of this study revealed that personal expectations of marriage in the areas of role expectations, communication, commitment, and romantic illusions had an impact on the quality of the marriage. The participants' marriages have been reported to have ended in divorce as a result of unrealistic personal expectations. Results from the study have implications for social change in the area of relationship counseling. Professionals who advise couples on marital relationships could coach couples in developing more realistic expectations of marriage to provide a better foundation of marriage and a decrease likelihood of divorce due to failed personal expectations.