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Religiosity and Marital Satisfaction

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Abstract

This study examined the association between religiosity and marital satisfaction among first-married and remarried adults. Seven hundred and eighty-seven heterosexually married adults from the Flanders region in Belgium completed the Maudsley Marital Questionnaire (MMQ) and a four-item religiosity scale, measuring marital satisfaction and religiosity respectively. This study found the effect of gender and marital status statistically significant (p < .0001) on religiosity. For marital satisfaction, the effect of gender and marital status statistically significant only for MMQ-S (p < .0001) and MMQ-M (p < .0001) respectively. Religiosity had a significant positive correlation (r = .19, p < .0001) with sexual-adjustment problems (MMQ-S). The ultimate aim of this study was to inform marital and relational therapists the value of a possible association religiosity has on marital satisfaction.

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Correspondence to Jose Orathinkal.

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This study was conducted at the Institute for the Family and Sexuality Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, as part of doctoral research.

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Orathinkal, J., Vansteenwegen, A. Religiosity and Marital Satisfaction. Contemp Fam Ther 28, 497–504 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-006-9020-0

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