Exploration of Factors in Inter-cultural Relationships: A Qualitative Study

The present qualitative study aimed to better understand the process of negotiating a couple culture for intercultural couples through a phenomenological approach. Three intercultural couples were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Two rounds of reviews resulted in the identification of a phenomenon involving the process of adjustment in an intercultural relationship. Factors that were found to play a role in this process included respect for the other’s culture, acculturation of partners to each other’s culture, and individualistic and collectivistic variables. Furthermore, implications for therapy with intercultural couples are discussed, along with limitations and recommendations for further research