It’s a family affair: Interracial couples’ perceptions of familial responses

Abstract

This article explores the perceptions of interracial couples of their families' reactions to their relationship. These perceptions play an integral role in how the couples see them­selves, understand their place in society, as well as how to cope with the problems they face. The findings from this study support other research, which tends to indicate that White families have more difficulty in adjusting to interracial marriages than African American fam­ilies. This qualitative study consists of 28 interviews with Black/White couples in the South­ern region of the United States over a three year period beginning in 1995.