Latino/a and white marriages: A pilot study investigating the experiences of interethnic couples in the United States

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of six heterosexual couples who identified as being in a mixed ethnic and/or racial marriage where one partner is of Latino/a descent and the other is of non-Latino/a White descent. There are virtually no studies that investigate this type of cross-cultural marriage. Therefore, this exploratory pilot study provides some in-depth descriptions of how these couples experience their interethnic relationships. A set of open-ended questions was sent to couples living throughout the United States and a follow-up phone call was conducted with each person for member checking purposes and to give participants an opportunity to elaborate on their responses. The primary categories that emerged from the data are: (1) the experiences and perceptions of being in a marriage with someone from a Latino/a or Euro-American ethnic group, (2) the perceived reactions from family, friends and social institutions, and (3) the perceived levels of acculturation and multiculturalism.