According to the American Psychological Association (APA), couples who participate in and find meaning in shared religious holiday rituals are happier and have stronger marriages.
In a study, 120 couples were asked about the importance of religion and family rituals in their marriage as well as in the families in which they grew up. The research psychologists found that religion, as it relates to the meaning the couple places in shared rituals, is a factor in how satisfied couples were with their marriages.
According to the APA, the effect was found to be stronger than the mere practice of religious holiday routines or the degree to which religion is considered important by the couples. When both husband and wife found meaning in religious holiday rituals, the couples were more satisfied with their marriages than couples that did not.
"The couple's private world of intimate ties and connections often becomes public in the practice of religious rituals," say the authors, "and the couple may reaffirm their connection and intimacy through the practice of meaningful rituals."
Passing traditions and rituals down to each succeeding generation plays in indirect role in predicting current marital satisfaction, in that the family practices each person was raised with had an effect on the current rituals each couple practiced.
Roles in Marriage
Women are the "tenders" or "kin keepers" of tradition – typically being the ones to ensure that family traditions are kept. The study found that women find satisfaction in marriage through the ritual practices that are kept. The husband's satisfaction was more closely tied to the meaning of those rituals. It seems a husband's emotional investment in religious rituals is an important indicator of marital satisfaction.
More to Tell
There is more to the practice of healthy marriages than just the keeping of religious holiday rituals. Rituals are only one indication of one's faith. Healthy couples have other ways as well of creating meaning in their relationships.
Confiding in your mate, laughing together, or sharing a quiet walk through your neighborhood can all combat the chaos of life and draw a couple closer together. |
