A new Marriage Helper study conducted by Barna Research Group found that practicing Christians are more satisfied in their marriages than non-practicing Christians or non-Christians.
Practicing Christians are more satisfied in their marriages than non-practicing Christians or non-Christians, a new Marriage Helper study conducted by Barna Research Group found.
According to the study, 59 percent of married U.S. adults report being “very satisfied” in their marriage, with an additional 22 percent saying they are “somewhat satisfied” with their marriage.
Among practicing Christians, 73 percent say they are very satisfied, and an additional 20 percent say they are somewhat satisfied in their marriages. The numbers drop substantially among non-practicing Christians and non-Christians, with 54 percent of participants in each category saying they are very satisfied in their marriages. An additional 24 percent of non-practicing Christians and 21 percent of non-Christians said they were somewhat satisfied.
When observing marital satisfaction by gender, Barna found that of all U.S. adults, men are more satisfied in their marriages, with 65 percent of men saying they are very satisfied and 52 percent of women saying they are very satisfied.
Marital satisfaction levels also varied generationally, with members of Generation X (Ages 37-55) experiencing the lowest satisfaction rate, followed by Boomers (Ages 56-74) and then Millennials (Ages 22-36).
According to the study, while 65 percent of Millennials and 61 percent of Boomers said they are very satisfied in their marriages, just 47 percent of Gen Xers reported being satisfied.
Among Gen Xers, only 17 percent considered going to marital counseling in the last 12 months. Of all participants feeling frustrated in their marriage, however, 50 percent considered going to marital counseling.
“Our data on practicing Christians is encouraging, but when you connect that to the larger trends — Generation Xers are at the highest risk to repeat the ‘Gray Divorce’ cycle started by Baby Boomers — everyone needs to be on the alert. Gen Xers are less satisfied in their marriages, less likely to seek help, and ripe for divorce as their kids leave home and life patterns shift,” Kimberly Holmes, CEO of Marriage Helper, told The Christian Post in a statement. “While men believe they’re very satisfied in their marriages, decades of research shows that men are actually resistant to admitting there is a problem.”
The study also found that among those surveyed, parents with children under the age of 18 and Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to consider seeking professional help.
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Kayla Koslosky is the former Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket newspaper. She has also contributed to IBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com.
