Many African-Americans have began to focus on their careers as a way to build independence and hide their vulnerability. Because more African-Americans are placing more emphasis on career development, they have less time for devoting to relationships and marriage. 

Focus on Careers

It is healthy and necessary to be able to both hide and express our vulnerabilities with our partner. However, many African Americans have felt betrayed by society at large and by others; consequently, they hide their vulnerabilities more as they believe it leads to greater success in life. One way in which they hide their vulnerabilities is to focus on themselves and personal goals (e.g. focusing on their careers). 

Alma College

High mistrust and the lack of proper corrections likely made African-Americans more skeptical and observant of trust and forgiving on interpersonal levels. Experiencing continued broken trust in their relationship, makes it harder for them to want to forgive their partner. As a result, this leads to tendencies to hide their vulnerabilities which further inhibits the forgiveness and adaptive processes. Overall, this may make African-Americans less likely to want to initiate relationships or commit to marriage. 

Forgiving and Trusting Their Partners 

Chambers, A. L., & Kravitz, A. (2011). Understanding the disproportionately low marriage rate among African Americans: An amalgam of sociological and psychological constraints. Family Relations, 60(5), 648-660.

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