M.A. (Psychology) / Research shows that infidelity has been and continues to be one of the major causes of divorce. Current literature on infidelity appears to focus on the effects infidelity has on one‟s health and has alluded to a woman‟s experience of her „self‟ as being intertwined in her relationship. The primary aim of the research was to explore the ideas, feelings, and attitudes a wife has about her identity, worth, capabilities, and limitations following her husband‟s sexual infidelity. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the experience and the meanings which participants attribute to their circumstances. Participants were interviewed using a series of semi-structured questions and were afforded the opportunity to openly share their experience, thoughts, and feelings. Participant interviews were transcribed and analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Despite both participants experiencing infidelity in their marriage and revealing accounts of the experience which proved to be quite different, the researcher identified three master themes across both participants‟ experiences. These themes are encapsulated as follows: (a) Laying of the self aside for the betterment of others; (b) Spirituality; and (c) Health. The researcher has highlighted overarching themes which concluded that the effect infidelity had on each participant‟s self appear to be comparable.

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / This qualitative phenomenological study explores the experience of unforgiveness of extramarital infidelity within a Christian context. Both unforgiveness and infidelity are topics in the field of psychological research that remain relatively unexplored. Descriptions of the above-mentioned experience were sourced from three participants. In order to extrapolate the essence of their subjective experiences, semi-structured interviews comprised of openended questions were compiled. These interviews were then transcribed and analysed from an interpretive phenomenological analysis. The analysis process resulted in the emergence of themes representing the phenomenon in question. Themes found in this study included those of a difficult emotional experience, loss and grieving, the process of moving from unforgiveness towards forgiveness, and finally, personal growth and spiritual progression. The repercussions experienced by the pressure to forgive also formed an integral part of the study. This research significantly contributes to the field of research in the manner in which it is focused on the relatively unexplored topic of unforgiveness and infidelity. Attention to the topic of forgiveness has the potential to considerably influence how social scientists and psychologist view unforgiveness within psychotherapy as well as within the field of research.

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This study investigated responsibility attributions for a partner's emotional infidelity and for a partner's sexual infidelity, and the likelyhood that the victim or partner would end the relationship. This study found a significant relationship between responsibility attributions for a romantic partner's unfaithfulness and the likelihood the relationship would end: the stronger the attributions of personal responsibility the more likely the relationship would dissolve.

This research project arose from my journeys with Protestant Christian women who were living in sexually unhappy marriages. In South African Protestant faith communities there is the expectation that Christian marriages will experience sexual fulfilment. For many Christian women however, sexual unhappiness becomes their reality. Sexuality is cocooned in silence not only within the church, but also in many Christian marriages. This leaves many Christian women (and men) with little or no recourse to address sexually unhappy marriages. My research journey briefly explored the social construction of sexuality within the history of Christianity to see which discourses underpin current constructions of White Christian female sexuality. This participatory feminist action research journey centralised the voices of present-day contexts: Protestant Christian women, as well as clergy, were invited to share their understandings and interpretations of matrimony and sexual practices in relation to their faith. With the help of narrative therapeutic practices, some of the dominant social and religious discourses that constitute White Christian female sexuality were explored, deconstructed and challenged. This research journey aimed to penetrate this silence and to invite Christian women, who are living in sexually unhappy marriages, to share their experiences. This exploration included the faith predicaments and relational complexities, challenges and dilemmas Protestant Christian women experience when living in sexually unhappy marriages. This feminist-grounded action research explored the effects and consequences which living in sexually unhappy marriages held for the cosearchers. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

This research project arose from my journeys with Protestant Christian women who were living in sexually unhappy marriages. In South African Protestant faith communities there is the expectation that Christian marriages will experience sexual fulfilment. For many Christian women however, sexual unhappiness becomes their reality. Sexuality is cocooned in silence not only within the church, but also in many Christian marriages. This leaves many Christian women (and men) with little or no recourse to address sexually unhappy marriages. My research journey briefly explored the social construction of sexuality within the history of Christianity to see which discourses underpin current constructions of White Christian female sexuality. This participatory feminist action research journey centralised the voices of present-day contexts: Protestant Christian women, as well as clergy, were invited to share their understandings and interpretations of matrimony and sexual practices in relation to their faith. With the help of narrative therapeutic practices, some of the dominant social and religious discourses that constitute White Christian female sexuality were explored, deconstructed and challenged. This research journey aimed to penetrate this silence and to invite Christian women, who are living in sexually unhappy marriages, to share their experiences. This exploration included the faith predicaments and relational complexities, challenges and dilemmas Protestant Christian women experience when living in sexually unhappy marriages. This feminist-grounded action research explored the effects and consequences which living in sexually unhappy marriages held for the cosearchers. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)