Relations Among Risk, Religiosity, and Marital Commitment

In this study, the authors examined the degree to which religiosity was related to marital commitment among married couples living in a highly religious but divorce prone area of the United States. They assessed whether church attendance, faith community support, and general religiosity were related to marital commitment and whether these variables buffered against the negative effects of known risks for marital distress. Results indicated that faith community support and general religiosity were significantly related to increased marital commitment among husbands and wives. Among wives, these variables buffered against the deleterious effects of low income on marital commitment. Based on these findings, the authors discuss implications for professionals who work with married couples.