Shahid Beheshti University Applied Psychology 2008-4331 19 4 2025 12 22 From Differences to Co-Becoming: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Couple Identity in Intercultural Marriages From Differences to Co-Becoming: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Couple Identity in Intercultural Marriages 184 212 106590 10.48308/apsy.2025.241376.1891 FA Leila Emami Ph.D. Student, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0003-1327-6252 Mohsen Rasouli Associate Professor, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-8901-5828 Kianoosh Zahrakar Professor, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-7845-2934 Masoud Gramipour Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies and Assessment and Measurement, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. 0000-0002-3412-3143 Journal Article 2025 09 02 Aim: This study explored how couple identity is formed, transformed, and consolidated in intercultural marriages in Iran. Method: A qualitative design using interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed. Thirty-three married individuals in Tehran who had experienced intercultural marriage between 2022 and 2024 were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed following Smith et al.’s protocol. Results: Analysis yielded 70 initial concepts, 20 subthemes, and four overarching themes: confronting cultural differences; emergence of a fluid couple identity; identity transformation and creation of a shared narrative; and strategies for conflict management and relational cohesion. Couples constructed a shared lifeworld through dialogue, narrative reconstruction, symbolic meaning-making, and psychological boundary-setting. Conclusion: Couple identity in intercultural marriages is a dynamic, relational, and context-dependent process shaped through engagement with cultural differences. These findings support culturally informed couple counseling interventions that foster dialogue, flexibility, and relational resilience. Aim: This study explored how couple identity is formed, transformed, and consolidated in intercultural marriages in Iran. Method: A qualitative design using interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed. Thirty-three married individuals in Tehran who had experienced intercultural marriage between 2022 and 2024 were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed following Smith et al.’s protocol. Results: Analysis yielded 70 initial concepts, 20 subthemes, and four overarching themes: confronting cultural differences; emergence of a fluid couple identity; identity transformation and creation of a shared narrative; and strategies for conflict management and relational cohesion. Couples constructed a shared lifeworld through dialogue, narrative reconstruction, symbolic meaning-making, and psychological boundary-setting. Conclusion: Couple identity in intercultural marriages is a dynamic, relational, and context-dependent process shaped through engagement with cultural differences. These findings support culturally informed couple counseling interventions that foster dialogue, flexibility, and relational resilience.

https://apsy.sbu.ac.ir/article_106590_ddaea69c0a6ff867f9ff5938fb0483cf.pdf