Research on Correlates of Marital Quality and Stability in Muslim Countries: A Review

The study of marital quality and stability has attracted widespread attention over the past two decades, with considerable interest in identifying predictors of marital quality and (in)stability. Most of this research comes from Western countries, however, and similar research from other areas is only beginning to develop. In particular, little coherent literature in this area has emerged from Muslim countries. Understanding how marriages develop, succeed, and fail is important for families across the globe, and perspectives relying predominantly on Western data and research perspectives may be of limited use in other contexts. The current review summarizes the existing empirical literature on the basis of samples from predominantly Muslim countries; identifies existing evidence to reveal important gaps with particular emphasis on personal, interpersonal, and contextual factors; and explores potential mechanisms that might explain associations between these factors and indicators of marital functioning.