Effects of Religiosity, Forgiveness, and Spousal Empathy on Marital Adjustment

• Published in: Marriage & family review Vol. 54; no. 4; pp. 393 - 416
• Main Authors: McDonald, James E., Olson, Jonathan R., Lanning, Ann H., Goddard, H. Wallace, Marshall, James P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Routledge 19.05.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: African Americans; Attendance; Couples; Divorce; Empathy; Forgiveness; gender; Husbands; Marital adjustment; Marriage; Married couples; religion; Religiosity; Religious participation; Self report; Telephone surveys; Wives; Women
• ISSN: 0149-4929; 1540-9635
• DOI: 10.1080/01494929.2017.1403992

This study focused on married couples in a region of the United States that previous research has identified as having high rates of both religiosity and divorce. As a result, this study was designed to examine the effects of religiosity, forgiveness, and spousal empathy on marital adjustment. To investigate these constructs, married couples in this region were recruited (n = 829) to participate in a cross-sectional, self-report telephone survey. Results indicate that religious service attendance and spousal empathy have direct positive effects on marital adjustment in European American married men; while religious service attendance, forgiveness, and spousal empathy have direct positive effects on marital adjustment in European American married women. Among African-American participants, only spousal empathy had a direct effect on marital adjustment for both men and women. Finally, spousal empathy moderated the association between previous marriage and current marital adjustment among European American married women.