For both husbands and wives, the primary predictor of marital happiness was high commitment toward their spouse, per a 2025 IFS/Wheatley report. Among husbands, completely agreeing that their marriage was one of the most important parts of their life was associated with a 234% increase in the odds of being very happily married, and a 399% increase for wives. The second most influential variable for husbands was consistent religious attendance with their spouse, increasing the odds of marital happiness by 212 percent. Notably, the effect of joint religious attendance on marital happiness was lower for women, but was still a significant predictor of marital happiness.
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