Strengthening the Ties That Bind: An Investigation into the Effects of Mutual Religious Activities on Marital Relations

Abstract

Many marriages are placed on a religious foundation. Couples attribute their marital success to the incorporation of religion in their marriage, which includes the participation in church attendance and making decisions based on biblical foundations. The purpose of this study is to determine whether high marital satisfaction is due to the act of going to church or the religious affiliation. Much of the current literature presents the Appalachian region negatively. Previous studies have especially explored how families experience strains such as poverty, economic depression, unemployment and drug use (Blakeney, 2005) while paying little or no attention to social or psychological factors within families that can contribute to emotional resiliency and familial well-being (Fincham, 1981). The purpose of studying contentment in Appalachian marital satisfaction is to understand why these Appalachian marriages are so strong and why the marriages in this region appear to remain steadfast. The main goal of this research is to analyze the meanings and the factors associated with “strong” marriages in the region. The ultimate goal of the project is to understand the ways in which strong marriages in this region differ from strong marriages in the dominant American culture. Couples were nominated by their communities as having strong marriages. Each couple filled out the Revised Dyadic Scale to portray their overall marital satisfaction (Spanier, 1976). These 30 question interviews were recorded and analyzed. Focusing on strong marriages, predominantly the influence of religion on the marriage reduces many of the negative stereotypes placed on the culture in the Appalachian region.