RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION IN ENDURING MARRIAGE - AN EXPLORATORY-STUDY

Fifteen couples (30 individuals) in long-term marriages were asked to discuss their perceptions of the strengths of their marital relationship. As they described their marriage, most of the individuals introduced their religious orientation and the ways in which their faith had been instrumental in the maintenance and growth of their relationship. The results of this study suggest that religious orientation may influence marital stability and quality through moral guidance and social, emotional, and spiritual support. Thus, the effect of religiosity upon marriages appears to involve the individual and dyadic levels as well as the social relationships of the couple.