Religious homogamy, race/ethnicity, and parents’ relationship stability

Abstract

Many studies have explored the link between religious homogamy and marital stability, but little is known about the role of religious homogamy within cohabiting unions. Using data on 2,019 couples from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this study examined the influence of religious homogamy on the stability of marital and cohabiting relationships among parents as well as whether race/ethnicity moderated this relationship. Life-table estimates suggest that denominational homogamy and attendance homogamy were unrelated to marital stability, but denominational homogamy was positively associated with the stability of cohabiting unions. Results also suggest that frequent attendance at religious services by both partners was more likely to contribute to relationship stability among Hispanic cohabiters than cohabiters from other racial/ethnic groups. Overall, this study suggests that the relationship between religious homogamy and relationship stability may vary by race/ethnicity and union type.