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1- Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Education, Islamic Azad University, Yazd Branch
2- General Practitioner, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadougi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Yazd, Iran
3- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ,a.masjediarani@sbmu.ac.ir
2- General Practitioner, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadougi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Yazd, Iran
3- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ,
Abstract: (6 Views)
Background: Family structures and their stability are central to individual well-being, societal cohesion, and mental health. The increasing divorce rates in Iran and worldwide highlight the need to explore the psychological and relational factors contributing to marital instability.
Objective: This study examined the mediating role of emotional empathy in the relationship between marital functioning and adaptability and alexithymia among incompatible couples, aiming to clarify how impairments in emotional attunement and regulation intensify relational discord.
Methods: A total of 150 couples (300 participants) referred to divorce centers in Yazd, Iran, during 2023 participated in this study. Standardized measures were administered to assess marital functioning, emotional empathy, adaptability, and alexithymia. Data were analyzed using correlational and mediation analyses.
Results: Findings indicated statistically significant correlations between marital functioning, emotional empathy, adaptability, and alexithymia. Moreover, emotional empathy was found to mediate the relationship between marital functioning and both adaptability and alexithymia, underscoring its central role in relational health.
Conclusion: The results reveal that marital functioning and emotional empathy jointly shape relational outcomes, with empathy serving as a protective factor against marital discord. These insights may inform the design of targeted interventions in divorce prevention and couple therapy programs, focusing on improving marital functioning and cultivating emotional empathy to strengthen relational resilience among high-risk couples.
Objective: This study examined the mediating role of emotional empathy in the relationship between marital functioning and adaptability and alexithymia among incompatible couples, aiming to clarify how impairments in emotional attunement and regulation intensify relational discord.
Methods: A total of 150 couples (300 participants) referred to divorce centers in Yazd, Iran, during 2023 participated in this study. Standardized measures were administered to assess marital functioning, emotional empathy, adaptability, and alexithymia. Data were analyzed using correlational and mediation analyses.
Results: Findings indicated statistically significant correlations between marital functioning, emotional empathy, adaptability, and alexithymia. Moreover, emotional empathy was found to mediate the relationship between marital functioning and both adaptability and alexithymia, underscoring its central role in relational health.
Conclusion: The results reveal that marital functioning and emotional empathy jointly shape relational outcomes, with empathy serving as a protective factor against marital discord. These insights may inform the design of targeted interventions in divorce prevention and couple therapy programs, focusing on improving marital functioning and cultivating emotional empathy to strengthen relational resilience among high-risk couples.
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Family and group therapy
Received: 2025/11/10 | Accepted: 2025/12/13
Received: 2025/11/10 | Accepted: 2025/12/13
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