Decision to go to church after an episode of marital conflict in the previous day, in an imaginary situation using vignettes

Rezumat

Objectives: This study examines the effect of marital conflict on church attendance, mediated by religious practices, with a focus on gender differences. It explores how conflict within marriage affects men’s and women’s likelihood of attending church in an imaginary situation, hypothesizing that men are more negatively impacted by marital discord. Methods: The research employs quantitative methods (self-reported, questionnaire based) to analyze the relationship between conflict intensity and church attendance, accounting for the mediating role of frequency of religious practices. The participants were 182 married adults from Suceava, Romania, 111 wives (62.2%) and 71 husbands (37.8%). Results: Results confirm significant gender disparities, with marital conflict discouraging church attendance more in men than in women. Discussion: The findings contribute to understanding the complex dynamics of how personal relationships influence the frequency of religious practices, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive approaches in addressing marital issues related to church attendance