Investigating the Effect of Psychological Flexibility and Religious Orientation on Marital Satisfaction Based on the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: Marital satisfaction is an essential aspect of the relationship between a husband and wife, which has a significant impact on life satisfaction and is considered one of the foundational elements of life.
 
Objectives: The current research aims to investigate the impact of psychological flexibility and religious orientation on marital satisfaction with the mediating role of self-compassion.
 
Methods: This research was a descriptive-correlational study that utilized a cross-sectional research method, employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The statistical population of this study included all married couples in Tehran from July to October 2023 who visited Farhangsara centers in Tehran for marriage and family counseling. The sample consisted of 169 men and women selected through multi-stage sampling. The research instruments included the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS), Religiosity Measurement Scale based on Islam (RMSI), Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire (PFQ), and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27 and Smart PLS 4 software through Structural Equation Modeling. A significance level of 0.05 was considered.
 
Results: According to the findings of the present study, religiosity had a significant and positive effect on marital satisfaction through the mediator variable of self-compassion (β=0.097, p=0.010). Psychological flexibility had a significant and positive impact on marital satisfaction through the mediator variable of self-compassion (β=0.312, p=0.000), resulting in an increase in marital satisfaction among individuals.
 
Conclusion: The findings of the present research underscore the significance of psychological flexibility, religiosity, and self-compassion in enhancing marital satisfaction and highlight the intricate interplay among these variables.
 

Keywords

Acknowledgments: The authors are thankful to all individuals who helped with carrying out the research.

 

Availability of data and materials:  The dataset used in the research can be requested from the corresponding author either during the submission process or after the publication of the study.

 

Conflicts of interest: The authors mentioned that they do not have any conflicting interests.

 

Consent for publication: The Publisher is sent the signed Consent to Publish in order to receive permission from the Authors to publish the Work.

 

Ethics approval and consent to participate:  This article underwent a review at Allameh Tabataba'i University and was found to be in compliance with ethical standards under the code IR.ATU.REC.1403.070.The study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

 

Financial disclosure: This study was not financially supported by any external sources.

 

Author contributions: J. S.: Contributed to the conception of the work, revising the draft, approving the final version of the manuscript, and agreeing on all aspects of the work; A. B.: Contributed to the data analysis and interpretation, critical revision, and approval of the final version of the manuscript; A. I.: Contributed to acquiring data, drafting the manuscript, and approving the final version; F. S. and A. M.: Contributed to the conception and design of the study, critical revision, and approval of the manuscript's final version; J. S.: Contributed to the conception and design of the study, data interpretation, drafting of the manuscript and critical revision, and approval of final version.

 

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Razavi International Journal of Medicine
Volume 13, Issue 1
special issue(Psychology in health
March 2025
Pages 151-162

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