| Summary: | The purpose of this study is to explore how people construct their intimate
relationships, and to describe the patterns of connection and disconnection and
their meanings within the social and cultural contexts of these relationships. It
attempts to describe how the participating couples' relationships may or may not
have changed due to the research process consisting of reflections and joint
story telling, and the interventions of the researcher.
Social constructionism is the epistemological framework of this study and indepth
unstructured interviews with a cohabiting and a married couple were
conducted. Hermeneutics was the method used to analyse the data.
The participants' stories were recounted through the researcher's lens in the form
of themes characterising their relationships. A comparative analysis was
undertaken between the common themes identified in the two participating
couples and literature.
The information gained could assist couples and professionals in respecting
heterosexual intimate relationships in their specific contexts. === Psychology === M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
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