Explaining the Causal Relationship Between Existential Anxiety and Post-Traumatic Growth in Women and Men Affected by Infidelity: Assessing the Mediating Role of Resilience
Keywords:
existential anxiety, post-traumatic growth, marital infidelity, resilienceAbstract
Marital infidelity, as one of the most severe emotional stressors, can lead to extensive psychological consequences, including existential anxiety and disruptions in individual adjustment. In recent years, researchers have increasingly focused on identifying mechanisms that influence psychological reconstruction and growth following such events. The purpose of this study was to explain the causal relationship between existential anxiety and post-traumatic growth in women and men affected by infidelity, and to assess the mediating role of resilience. The statistical population consisted of all women and men affected by infidelity who had sought services in counseling and psychological centers in Tehran during 2024. Using convenience sampling, 200 individuals affected by infidelity were selected as the sample. The research method was correlational with a structural equation modeling design. Data were collected using the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996), the Existential Anxiety Questionnaire (Raimz et al., 2004), and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (Connor & Davidson, 2003). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that resilience negatively and significantly mediated the relationship between existential anxiety and post-traumatic growth in individuals affected by infidelity. It can be concluded that resilience plays a crucial role in reducing the negative effects of existential anxiety and facilitating post-traumatic growth among individuals who have experienced infidelity. Strengthening resilience skills may serve as an effective approach for enhancing their psychological adjustment.
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