The mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between marital conflicts and tendency to marital infidelity in couples

Abstract

Background and Aim: Family is known as the most important unit of societies, and marriage is the most basic human relationship; Because it forms the primary structure of family relationship and the growth of the next generations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between marital conflicts and the tendency to marital infidelity.  Methods: This research is descriptive-correlation type. The statistical population of the present study included all the couples who referred to the counseling centers of the 1st to 5th districts of Tehran in 2022. Among these people, 100 couples (200 people) were selected by the available sampling method. In order to collect data, Bar-on's Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (1980), Marital Conflicts Questionnaire (2008) and Bashirpour et al (2018) Tendency to Marital Infidelity Questionnaire were used. Moreover, Pearson's correlation coefficient and path analysis were used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: The findings showed an insignificant relationship between marital conflicts and the tendency to marital infidelity. Also, the results showed that emotional intelligence plays a suppressing role in the relationship between marital conflicts and the tendency to marital infidelity so that the indirect relationship between marital conflicts and the tendency to marital infidelity is significant by mediating emotional intelligence. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that people whose emotional intelligence plays a mediating role in the relationship between marital conflicts and the tendency for marital infidelity.