Causal model predicting marital infidelity based on attachment styles with the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in couples

Subject Areas : Psychology

Amir panahali ¹ , kazem karimzadeh ² , Khalil Esmaielpour ³ , Marziyeh Alivandi Vafa ⁴

1 - Assistant professor,Department of Counseling, faculty, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Branch,Tabriz, Iran
2 - Doctoral student of counseling Unit, Science and Research Campus of East Azarbaijan Province,, Tabriz Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
3 - Associate Professor, Department of psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
4 - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.

Received: 2023-09-17 Accepted : 2023-10-28 Published : 2023-09-23

Keywords: attachment styles, cognitive flexibility, Marital infidelity,

Abstract :

This research was conducted with the aim of developing a causal model for predicting marital infidelity based on attachment styles with the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in couples. The present research method is part of fundamental research in terms of its purpose, quantitative research in terms of its nature, and descriptive-correlational research in terms of implementation method, which was conducted in the form of non-experimental studies and with structural equation modeling method. The statistical population included all couples who had at least one experience of infidelity in virtual form, SMS or phone call and sexual intercourse in Khoi city in the first six months of 1401. According to the rule of thumb, 480 people were selected by purposive sampling method for each observed variable. In order to collect information from the marital infidelity questionnaires of Yenisari and Kokdemir (2006), spouses' attachment styles (1991) and cognitive flexibility of Dennis and Vanderwaal (2010) was used. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling using SPSS27 and AMOS24 software. The results showed that the research model fits the collected data. There is a negative relationship between secure and rejecting attachment styles with marital infidelity, and there is a positive relationship between fearful and preoccupied attachment styles with marital infidelity. Likewise, the mediating role of flexibility in the relationship between busyness and marital infidelity was confirmed.