SINGAPORE: Family, friends and religious advisors are often the primary informal sources of help for couples facing marital issues, according to a study commissioned by Marriage Central which aims to identify resilience factors that can mitigate marriage crises.
Children are an important reason for couples to continue their relationship.
Those who have prior positive interactions with counsellors, such as in marriage preparation programmes, also stand a better chance at overcoming crisis.
The study conducted from February to May involved over 500 married individuals.
Marriage Central said all of those surveyed had remained in their marriages, even though nearly half of the respondents had at some point considered divorce.
The study revealed that some of the common stresses to a marriage in Singapore include infidelity and interference by in-laws.
Principal investigator Dr Mathew Mathews, a research fellow from the Institute of Policy Studies, said: "It shows that there are different agents which are acting in that process - family, the community, broader messages around and notions of commitment are all there, and I think these things help to keep couples wanting to walk through their relationship rather than giving up."
Marriage Central - a workgroup under the National Family Council - said the findings indicate that there is hope for troubled marriages in Singapore.
The workgroup intends to share the findings with voluntary welfare organisations and other stakeholders so that they may develop more resources and programmes for building resilient marriages in Singapore.
- CNA/ck
Family & friends key to resilient marriages: survey
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Family & friends key to resilient marriages: survey
