Predicting Marital Conflicts through the Dark Triad of Personality with the Mediation of Ego Strength in Women Seeking Divorce

Authors

    Nina Shahinnia Master's Degree, Department of Psychology, South Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
    Amir Mohsen Rahnejat * Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran [email protected]
https://doi.org/10.61838/

Keywords:

Marital Conflict, Dark Triad Personality Traits, Ego Strength, Women, Divorce

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between distress tolerance, Dark Triad personality traits, and marital conflict, with ego strength as a mediating variable, in women seeking divorce.

Methods and Materials: The study utilized a descriptive-correlational design and included a sample of women seeking divorce who visited marital counseling clinics in District 3 of Tehran during the spring of 2024. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires: the Marital Conflict Questionnaire, the Short Dark Triad Personality Questionnaire (SD3), and the Psychological Ego Strength Inventory (PIES). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for data analysis.

Findings: The results revealed that distress tolerance had an indirect and significant effect on marital conflict through the mediation of ego strength (β = -0.366, p = 0.001). Among the Dark Triad traits, Machiavellianism showed an indirect and significant effect on marital conflict (β = 0.170, p = 0.001), while psychopathy and narcissism did not exhibit significant indirect effects. Narcissism had a direct positive effect on marital conflict (β = 0.275, p = 0.000), whereas psychopathy and Machiavellianism did not have direct effects. Ego strength had a significant negative effect on marital conflict (β = -0.595, p = 0.000).

Conclusion: Machiavellianism indirectly influences marital conflict through the reduction of ego strength, while narcissism has a direct positive effect on conflict. Ego strength plays a key role in reducing marital conflict, suggesting that interventions aimed at enhancing ego strength and addressing manipulative personality traits may be effective in mitigating marital conflict among women.

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Published

2024-10-01

Submitted

2024-08-05

Revised

2024-09-09

Accepted

2024-09-14

How to Cite

Shahinnia, N., & Rahnejat, A. M. (2024). Predicting Marital Conflicts through the Dark Triad of Personality with the Mediation of Ego Strength in Women Seeking Divorce. Psychology of Woman Journal, 5(4), 47-53. https://doi.org/10.61838/

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