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Religious Influence on Marital Stability
Abstract
Researchers frequently postulate a strong relationship between religiosity and marital stability. We incorporate a multidimensional specification of religiosity into event-history models of the religion-marital stability relationship. Results are based on panel data from the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 4,587 married couples). While no single dimension of religiosity adequately describes the effect of religious experience on marital stability, the frequency of religious attendance has the greatest positive impact on marital stability. When both spouses attend church regularly, the couple has the lowest risk of divorce. Spouse differences in church attendance increase the risk of dissolution. All significant religious affiliation influences disappear once demographic characteristics are controlled. The wife's religious beliefs concerning marital commitment and nonmarital sex are more important to the stability of the marriage than the husband's beliefs.
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“Of the 38 methodologically most rigorous studies, 35 (92%) reported significant relationships between R/S and greater marital stability [255–265].”
From Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications (2012) · cites this paper as [255]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Call, V. R. A., & Heaton, T. B.
- Affiliations
- Brigham Young University (US)
- ORCID
- Heaton, Tim B.
- Venue
- Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
- Publisher
- JSTOR
- Published
- 1997-09
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 382
- ISSN
- 0021-8294 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2319058769
- Cited by
- 457
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 38
- FWCI
- 20.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
- Keywords
- religiosity, marital stability, divorce, church attendance, religious affiliation, marital commitment, event history models, married couples
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