Religiosity and Marital Stability Among Black American and White American Couples*

Abstract

We examine the effects of subjective and organizational religious participation on marital stability over time for urban Black American couples and White American couples who participated in a longitudinal project. Our findings indicated that the role religiosity plays in the stability of marriage over time varied by gender and race. Black husbands and wives reported that religion was more important to them and that they attended religious services more frequently than White husbands and wives. Greater service attendance was predictive of decreased odds of divorce, only when reported by wives. Interaction effects revealed that the effect was more notable among White wives. Practitioners should consider the diversity between and within couples and the sociohistorical contexts in which marriages are embedded.

A review of the antecedents of union dissolution

“…Indeed, the risk of divorce is lower for persons who are strongly religious (Lehrer 2004). Disaffiliation has been reported to increase the risk of divorce (Trovato 1993), whereas greater service attendance decreases the risk (Bracher et al 1993;Brown, Orbuch and Bauermeister 2008). Religious homogamy seems to reduce divorce risk somewhat, even if one of the spouses is a convert to the partner's religion.…”

Ajuste Diádico, Victimización y Perpetración en Mujeres y Hombres Mexicanos

“…Dentro de la cultura latina y bajo valores cristianos, se concibe el matrimonio como una unión para toda la vida y una garantía de continuidad familiar (Díaz Guerrero, 2003). La congruencia con estos valores puede hacer a una persona más resistente a que el transcurso del tiempo de convivencia con la pareja marital se convierta en estresor o fuente de irritación (Brown, Orbuch & Bauermeister, 2008). Los estudios muestran que estos valores son internalizados con mayor fuerza por las mujeres que por los hombres (Díaz Guerrero, 2003), lo que, aunado a la asociación cultural de la docilidad con lo femenino (Ariza Soza, 2013), podría explicar que los años de relación sean independientes de la violencia en las mujeres.…”

Exploring Daily Religious/Spiritual Activities Among Older Couples: Religious/Spiritual Influence Moderating the Effects of Health Symptoms on Marital Interactions

“…Other studies suggest that women experience greater health benefits than men from religion and spirituality (Dunn & Horgas, 2004;Strawbridge et al, 1997). With regard to marriage relationship outcomes, research indicates that wife religious involvement is more strongly tied to marital stability than husband religious involvement (Brown, Orbuch, & Bauermeister, 2008;Call & Heaton, 1997). In summary, gender may moderate the association between religiosity and health, and between religiosity and marital outcomes.…”