Keywords

marriage, religion, commitment, coping, transformative, processes, qualitative research

Abstract

Leading scholars of marital processes strongly recommend supplementing the current focus on marital conflict to include research on transformative processes. This qualitative study examines the connection between religion and the transformative processes of commitment and coping in marriage. The sample for this study includes 184 married couples (N = 368 individuals), making it far larger than most in-depth, qualitative interview-based studies. Participants included Christians, Jews, and Muslims with an over sampling of minorities and immigrant families living in all eight regions of theUnited States. For several decades studies have shown a largely positive correlation between (a) religiosity and marital commitment and (b) religiosity and (generally) positive coping, but with little explanation regarding how and why. Findings of this study indicate that there are specific religious beliefs and practices related to how these couples approach their marriages—including several that relate to the two transformative processes of commitment and coping.

Original Publication Citation

“Religious Faith and Transformational Processes in Marriage." Goodman, M.A., Dollahite, D.C., Marks, L.D. & Layton, E. (2013). Family Relations 62 (December 2013), 808 – 823.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2013

Publisher

Family Relations

Language

English

College

Religious Education

Department

Church History and Doctrine

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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