Analysis of the Islamic Moral Health Questionnaire (IMHS-B&Gh) and Its Relationship with Marital Satisfaction and Family Functioning
Keywords:
Islamic Moral Health, Validity, Reliability, Marital Satisfaction, Family FunctioningAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate the Islamic Moral Health Questionnaire and examine its predictive role in marital satisfaction and family functioning.
Methods and Materials: This developmental psychometric study employed a correlational design. Moral health components were derived from Islamic sources and expert interviews, followed by assessments of face, content (CVI, CVR), and construct validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Reliability was examined using Cronbach’s alpha. In the analytical phase, 333 married individuals completed the Islamic Moral Health Questionnaire, Islamic Marital Satisfaction Scale, and Family Assessment Device. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses.
Findings: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a two-factor structure consisting of piety and responsibility with acceptable model fit. Moral health showed a significant positive association with marital satisfaction and a significant negative association with family dysfunction. Multiple regression analyses indicated that moral health components explained 12% of the variance in marital satisfaction and 11% of the variance in family functioning. Piety significantly predicted marital satisfaction, whereas responsibility was the strongest predictor of family functioning.
Conclusion: The IMHS-B&Gh demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties, and Islamic moral health plays a meaningful role in explaining marital satisfaction and family functioning.
Downloads
References
Acquah, S., Dzakadzie, Y., & Eshun, P. (2024). Level of Education, Marital Longevity and Religion as Determinants of Marital Stability among Couples in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. Advances in Research, 25(3), 137-147. https://doi.org/10.9734/air/2024/v25i31059
Araghi, N. Z. (2025). The Effectiveness of Religious Forgiveness Therapy on Reducing Marital Conflicts and Extramarital Behaviors in Married Women Seeking Divorce. KMAN Counsel and Psych Nexus, 3, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.fct.psynexus.3.3
Bedir Akpınarlı, B., & Eryücel, S. (2024). Marital Adjustment, Spiritual Well-Being, and Locus of Control in Married Couples. Religions, 15(11), 1376. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111376
Bukhari, B., Lintina, S., Sabiruddin, S., Mistarija, M., Ismail, A. d., & K, S. M. (2023). The Mediating Role of Religiosity on the Big Five Personalities and Marital Satisfaction in Indonesia: A Perspective of Da'wah Psychology. Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.25217/0020236369600
Eghbali, A., Azimi, M., & Atayi, F. (2023). The Relationship Between Religious Beliefs and Communication Skills with Marital Satisfaction in Married Teachers. Research in Religion and Health, 9(2), 66-75. https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/jrrh/article/view/36590
Ghaffari, M., & et al. (2021). Review of moral health measurement instruments in Iran [In Persian]. Quarterly Journal of Islam and Psychology, 6(2), 41-58.
Gholizadegan Rayat, S., Nasseri, N., Fariborzi, E., & Saffariantoosi, M. R. (2024). The Effectiveness of Psycho-Religious Based Sexuality Education Training Protocol on Reducing the Tendency toward Premarital Sexual Relationships. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 52(1), 41-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2022.2042866
Jambunanda, A. J., Fakhriah, E. L., Supriyatni, R., & Afriana, A. (2023). Marriage Law in Religious Court: Regulation and Decision on Marital Property in Sustainable Legal Development. Journal of Law and Sustainable Development, 11(10), e1759. https://doi.org/10.55908/sdgs.v11i10.1759
Karazheh, S., Abdi, M., & Heidari, H. (2023). Family functioning and the role of maternal parenting styles in predicting behavioral problems [In Persian]. Andisheh va Raftar (Thought and Behavior), 1(93), 49-99.
Khan, M. W., & Ebrahim, S. (2024). The Marital Sexual Experiences of South African Muslim Wives of Indian Descent: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Journal for the Study of Religion, 37(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2024/v37n1a5
Lucas, R. E., Clark, A. E., Georgellis, Y., & Diener, E. (2003). Reexamining the set point model of happiness: Reactions to changes in marital status. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84(3), 527-539. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.3.527
Mahdavian, A., & Shahinvarnosfaderani, Z. (2023). Predicting Marital Adjustment Based on Spirituality and Narcissism Components in Couples Living in Tehran. Research Journal on Religion and Health, 9(1), 123-133. https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/jrrh/article/view/34204
Mohabbi, A., & Alipour, A. (2019). The relationship between family functioning, moral health, and psychological well-being [In Persian]. Journal of Family and Research, 16(2), 7-26.
Narvaez, D., & Hardy, S. (2020). Moral development and moral education. Cambridge University Press.
Narvaez, D., & Lapsley, D. (2022). Moral self-identity and its development. Journal of Moral Education, 51(1), 1-16.
Putnam, R. D. (2020). The upswing: How America came together a century ago and how we can do it again. Simon & Schuster.
Sadati, S. S., & Noori, A. (2020). Predicting marital satisfaction based on moral virtues and religiosity [In Persian]. Clinical Psychology Studies, 10(39), 119-142.
Schnell, T., & Keenan, W. J. F. (2021). Religion, spirituality, and meaning in life. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 13(2), 133-144.
Shah, S. (2022). Black and white or shades of grey: Religious approaches and Muslim marital conflict. Soc Compass, 69(1), 113-132. https://doi.org/10.1177/00377686211020567
Shakeri, S., Moarefi, G. R., Farahani, S., & Khaksari, Z. (2023). Development of an Emotional Divorce Model in Women Using Happiness, Religious Attitude, and Marital Satisfaction. Journal of Social Behavior and Community Health. https://doi.org/10.18502/jsbch.v7i2.14099
Skews, D. (2015). Family functioning and the family system: An integrated approach. Journal of Family Therapy, 37(3), 301-315.
Strom, P., & et al. (2018). Marital satisfaction and family interactions. Family Counseling Journal, 29(4), 223-238.
Tabaghdehi, A. F., & Ghahderijani, N. S. (2025). Examining the Relationship Between Psychological Abnormalities and Emotional Interactions With Emotional Divorce With the Mediating Role of Religious Beliefs in Couples With Marital Conflicts. Aftj, 6(2), 105-115. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.aftj.6.2.11
Taniguchi, S. T., Freeman, P. A., Taylor, S., & Malcarne, B. (2006). A study of married couples perceptions of marital satisfaction in outdoor recreation. Journal of Experiential Education, 28(3), 253-256. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382590602800309
Tavassoli, A. D., & Nazari, M. (2023). Investigating the Role of Adhering to Religious Beliefs and Marital Disillusionment in Marital Adaptation of Married Teachers. https://civilica.com/doc/1985525
Thomas, K. F. (2023). The Influence of Religion on Marital Crisis: A Qualitative Study https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4535/
Walsh, F. (2019). Strengthening family resilience. Guilford Press.
Wondimu, S., & Zeleke, S. (2024). The Effects of Religiosity, Forgiveness, and Emotion Regulation on Marital Satisfaction in Ethiopia. The Journal of Behavioral Science, 19(3), 46-59. https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJBS/article/view/272760
Worthington, E. L., & Wade, N. G. (2020). The psychology of forgiveness and its importance for well-being. Current opinion in psychology, 36, 25-29.
Wusu, O. (2022). The Potency of Religious Influence on Marital Sexual Infidelity: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys in Ghana and Nigeria. Sexuality & Culture, 26(5), 1804-1818. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-022-09972-8
Zarifi, M., Nikoo Abkenar, B., & Zarei, E. (2022). The effectiveness of religious-spiritual psychotherapy on emotional schemas and marital adjustment of women on the verge of divorce. Psychology and Religion, 3(59), 47-60. https://www.ensani.ir/fa/article/516442/
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Zohreh Bahadori (Author); Seyed Iman Qotb; Ali Akbar Samari (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
