Four ingredients to a happy marriage

What makes for a happy marriage? In a joint IFS-Wheatley Institute study, Jeffrey Dew, Brad Wilcox, and Jason Carroll surveyed 2,000 married men and women to find out. Looking across 11 different variables, the study identified four key predictors for a blissful marriage: high commitment, a protective spouse, joint religious service attendance, and frequent date nights. Among other findings, the study noted that wives were nearly 400% more likely to be very happy with their marriage when they responded that their marriage is more important to them than almost anything else. Men who frequently attended religious services with their wife were over 200% more likely to be very happy with their marriage.

by Grant Bailey