The Newlywed Relationship and the Family Interaction in the Process of Wedding Preparation

• Main Author: 陳鴻彬
• Other Authors: 郭麗安
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/7wdtjr

碩士 === 國立彰化師範大學 === 輔導與諮商學系所 === 102 === Abstract This research aims at exploring the interaction among the family systems and its effects on the relationship of the newlywed couple who have married for more than three months and less than two years, while they are in the process of wedding preparation. In-depth interview of qualitative method is applied for data collection to one of the newlyweds, and phenomenological method and the perspective of family systems are applied as a framework for data analysis. The findings of the research are as follows: I. The interaction of the family systems in the wedding preparation process has several characteristics: (I) The interaction is affected by the spousal subsystem of the newlyweds, the parental subsystem of the newlyweds, the extended family systems, and the macrosystem of religion and gender values in the culture. (II) The boundary of the family-of-origin affects the life and emotions of the newlyweds. II. The impacts of the process of wedding preparation on the relationship in the newlywed stage are mentioned below: (I) The interaction experience in the preparation of the wedding comprises the conflict experience and the coping strategies. The conflicting issues include “the decision of the wedding date,” “the setting of betrothal money,” “the procedure of the ceremony,” and “the arrangement of the living place after wedding.” The sources of conflicts contain “the insufficiency of negotiation mechanisms,” “extended family members’ intention to invade the boundary of the newlyweds’ nuclear family,” and “the enmeshment of the boundaries among the whole family system.” Effective strategies for conflicts applied by the newlyweds include: (I) Create alignment with, or give respect to the subsystems in the highest position in the power hierarchy of their family system respectively. (II) Maintain the boundaries-necessary inside and outside the family system. (III) Temporarily suspend the issues that cannot reach agreement before marriage. (II) The effects of the wedding preparation experience on the newlywed relationship are as follows: “Giving respect to the subsystem in the highest position of the power hierarchy in the whole family system activates the positive interaction in the marriage,” and “Maintaining the boundaries of individual and the spousal subsystem takes tremendous effort, but it is worthy in the long run.” At last, according to the findings of the research, specific suggestions are provided for premarital counseling practitioners, wedding consultants and their training institutions, grooms- and brides-to-be, and further research as well.