Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
3-2023
Abstract
Difficulties faced in life can affect marital relationships and such troubles may be dealt with in a multitude of ways, including coping religiously. The present study examined how religious coping, either in a positive or negative manner, may have an impact on marital satisfaction. Importantly, this association was studied dyadically in a sample of religiously diverse (Buddhists, 32.3%; Taoists, 17.6%; protestant Christians, 14.1%; and others who did not identify with a specific religion, 19.1%), married older Singaporean adults (N = 1928; 964 couples). Using actor-partner interdependence modeling, we found significant actor, partner, and combined actor-partner effects for positive and negative religious coping on marital satisfaction. Specifically, marital satisfaction was highest when both spouses reported high levels of positive religious coping and low levels of negative religious coping. Taken together, these findings suggest that it is the simultaneous act of either greater positive or lower negative religious coping by both spouses that is related to higher marital satisfaction.
Keywords
actor-partner interdependence model, religious coping, homogamy, marital satisfaction, ageing
Discipline
Asian Studies | Family, Life Course, and Society | Gerontology
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Journal of Family Psychology
Volume
37
Issue
2
First Page
268
Last Page
274
ISSN
0893-3200
Identifier
10.1037/fam0001025
Publisher
American Psychological Association
Citation
LAI, Gloria J., TAN, Kenneth, TAN, Micah, CHEONG, Grace, CHENG, Cheng, & MATHEW, Mathews.(2023). Dyadic positive and negative religious coping among older Singaporean couples and marital satisfaction. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(2), 268-274.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3629
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001025