Model for predicting attitude towards infidelity based on the quality of marital relations, sexual performance in married women: the mediating role of the empathy model

Abstract

Objective: This research was conducted with the aim of predicting the attitude towards infidelity based on the quality of marital relations, sexual performance in married women: the mediating role of empathy. Methods and Materials:  The descriptive research method was correlation type. The statistical population of the present study included all married women in Najaf Abad city in 2019, and 225 of these women were selected by random cluster sampling and the Whatley Infidelity Attitude Questionnaire (ATIS) (2006), Busby et al.'s Marital Relationship Quality (RDAS) (1995), Rosen et al.'s Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (FSFI) (2000), and Jolliffe et al.'s Empathy (ICBC) (2006) were completed. Findings: Data analysis using structural equation modeling showed that there is a negative and significant relationship (p<0.01) between the quality of marital relations, sexual performance and empathy with the attitude towards marital infidelity. Also, the results showed that there is an indirect and significant relationship between the quality of marital relations and sexual performance with attitude through empathy (p<0.01). Conclusion: The results of this research showed that the quality of marital relations and sexual performance explains the attitude towards cheating based on the mediating role of empathy, and the research model has a favorable fit. The findings of this research can be used by experts in the fields of mental health to improve couples' relationships