The Relationship Between Religiosity, Hope and Repair Efforts Among Couples Thinking About Divorce

There is extensive literature on the impact of divorce, yet less attention has been given to the divorce decision-making process. Addressing this gap is crucial, as divorce ideation is linked to lower marital satisfaction and potential relationship dissolution. Despite growing research in this area, many questions remain unanswered. Using longitudinal data from the National Divorce Decision-Making Survey, this study examines the roles of hope and religiosity in divorce decision-making and their potential predictive relationship to repair efforts among individuals considering divorce, with hope as a mediator. Findings indicate that while the mediational model was not supported, higher hope levels at T1 predicted greater repair efforts at T2, controlling for changes in repair efforts between T1 and T2. Additionally, greater repair efforts at T1 predicted higher repair efforts at T2. Relationship hope is a significant factor for couples contemplating divorce, with important implications for couples, researchers, and clinicians.