Structural Equation Modeling of Emotional Divorce Based on Personality Maladjustments and Emotional Maturity: Examining the Mediating Role of Marital Intimacy

Shayan Maleki; Mansour Hasanalilo; Reza  Mokhtari; Ali Zeinali

Authors

Shayan Maleki M.Sc. in Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Khoy Branch, Khoy, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4512-2719
Mansour Hasanalilo M.Sc. in Islamic Positive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Khoy Branch, Khoy, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7945-7723
Reza Mokhtari M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9657-1483
Ali Zeinali Department of Psychology, Khoy Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khoy, Iran Corresponding Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8062-964X

Keywords:

Emotional Maturity, Emotional Divorce, Marital Intimacy, Personality Maladjustments

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to develop and test a structural equation model of emotional divorce based on personality maladjustments and emotional maturity, with the mediating role of marital intimacy among married university students.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a descriptive–correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all married students of Islamic Azad University, Khoy Branch, during the 2025–2026 academic year, from whom 300 participants were selected through purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria. Data were collected using the Gottman Emotional Divorce Questionnaire, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Brief Form (PID-5), the Bagarozzi Marital Intimacy Needs Questionnaire, and Singh’s Emotional Maturity Scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and SmartPLS software through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings: The findings demonstrated that personality maladjustment had a significant positive effect on emotional divorce (β = 0.38, p = 0.001) and a significant negative effect on marital intimacy (β = −0.44, p = 0.001). Emotional immaturity also had a significant positive effect on emotional divorce (β = 0.31, p = 0.001) and a significant negative effect on marital intimacy (β = −0.49, p = 0.001). In contrast, marital intimacy showed a significant negative effect on emotional divorce (β = −0.52, p = 0.001). Furthermore, the indirect effects indicated that marital intimacy significantly mediated the relationship between personality maladjustment and emotional divorce (β = 0.23, p = 0.001), as well as the relationship between emotional maturity and emotional divorce (β = 0.27, p = 0.001). Model fit indices confirmed an acceptable and satisfactory fit of the proposed structural model.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that maladaptive personality traits and emotional immaturity contribute to emotional divorce both directly and indirectly through the reduction of marital intimacy. Marital intimacy plays a significant protective and mediating role in couples’ emotional relationships by reducing emotional distancing and strengthening emotional bonding.

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