Document Type : Research/Original/Regular

Authors

• Soheila Ghani Abadi ¹
• Hajar Falahzade ²
• Vafa Mostafa ³

¹ Soheila Ghani Abadi, M.Sc. in Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

² Hajar Falah Zadeh, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical & Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

³ Vafa Mostafa, M.Sc. in Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The current study aimed to predict emotional divorce in women by dyadic perfectionism and resiliency. The target population for the research consisted of all women living in Tehran in 2021. A descriptive correlational design was employed, and a sample size of 360 was selected using the available sampling method. Participants were asked to complete three questionnaires: the Gottman Emotional Divorce Questionnaire (1994), the Shea and Slaney Perfectionism Questionnaire (1999), and the Connor and Davidson Resiliency Questionnaire (2003). The multivariate regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between emotional divorce and perfectionism and a negative correlation between emotional divorce and resiliency (p<0.05). As such, the study concluded that both perfectionism and resiliency can significantly predict emotional divorce in women. Moreover, the findings underscored the importance of resiliency in moderating the positive relationship between emotional divorce and abnormal perfectionism. Moreover, the findings underscored the importance of resiliency in moderating the positive relationship between emotional divorce and abnormal perfectionism.

Highlights

The objective of the current investigation was to predict the emotional divorce of women through the utilization of dyadic perfectionism and resilience as predictors. The findings derived from the analysis of the data indicate a significant positive correlation between emotional divorce and dyadic perfectionism. The present finding is consistent with the findings reported by Ahmadlou & Zeinali (2016) and Zamani et al. (2013). The researchers introduced negative perfectionism as a social factor contributing to emotional divorce among couples in their study. Prior research has indicated that perfectionism can have negative effects on romantic partnerships (Sheri et al., 2014; Arcuri, 2013). Given that dyadic perfectionism is a construct closely aligned with perfectionism, it may be associated with emotional divorce. According to Bastani et al.'s (2013) study, a potential approach to addressing emotional divorce and its associated outcomes involves diminishing the perfectionistic standards that couples hold for one another. This study is consistent with the results of Amato's (2010) study, which identified an increase in irrational and unrealistic perfectionist expectations as one contributing factor to heightened divorce rates and emotional detachment among couples.

Consistent with these findings, Fons-Scheyd's (2007) study demonstrated that couples exhibiting higher levels of dyadic perfectionism tend to disengage from their partners rather than seek a resolution when faced with disagreements. The research findings indicate that individuals who scored high on the discrepancy scale exhibited lower levels of commitment, satisfaction, and respect toward their life partner and the relationship. Based on the results of this study, it appears that couples exhibiting high levels of negative dyadic perfectionism tend to employ emotion-oriented and withdrawal/avoidance strategies when faced with marital conflicts rather than problem-oriented approaches. This ultimately results in long-term separation and emotional detachment between partners. Moreover, in explaining the findings, it can be suggested that individuals who exhibit perfectionistic tendencies are susceptible to various psychological conditions, including but not limited to obsession, depression, anxiety, stress, and a sense of failure, due to their distinctive behavioral and cognitive attributes. Consequently, it adversely impacts their emotional communication and interaction with their partners, ultimately leading to marital dissolution and emotional detachment.

The findings suggest a statistically significant inverse correlation between emotional divorce and resilience. The present study's findings are consistent with those of Eskanderpour (2015) and Afrasiabi & Jafarzadeh (2015), who investigated the correlation between personal characteristics and emotional divorce. Their research concluded that self-confidence and self-esteem, self-efficacy, anger management, and problem-solving skills are among the most significant personality traits contributing to couples' relationships' longevity. The findings of these studies are consistent with those of Samani et al. (2016), whose research demonstrated that resilience is positively associated with life satisfaction through the mitigation of emotional difficulties or the enhancement of mental well-being.

According to the study's findings, resilience is a positive and desirable trait that can be enhanced through various techniques, such as improving existing supportive factors or developing new supportive ones. In this way, resilience indirectly affected the level of marital satisfaction of couples and, as a result, their emotional divorce. Due to their capacity to handle events logically, calmly, and attentively while focusing on their abilities and rights, resilient people can react maturely and sensibly in stressful circumstances and refrain from emotional withdrawal from their life partner. Resilient people, particularly those who are married, behave rationally, take action to uphold their marriage as crucial and work to eliminate emotional estrangement. In actuality, boosting resilience lessens susceptibility to separation and emotional detachment.

Undoubtedly, understanding and knowledge in assisting individuals in family issues, specifically emotional divorce, marital perfectionism, and resilience, can significantly benefit women. Given their crucial role in the family unit and child-rearing, such knowledge can enhance their satisfaction with diverse facets of married life and promote healthy and consistent performance. The research indicates that family counselors and couple therapists have the potential to mitigate emotional divorce among women by enhancing their resilience and transforming their negative perfectionism into realistic and logical standards. The present study focuses on the female population residing in the 13th district of Tehran. Consequently, it is recommended that further investigations be carried out on women in different geographical areas and that alternative assessment methods, such as interviews, be employed to enhance the accuracy and credibility of the outcomes and conclusions.

On the other hand, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, administering the questionnaires in a physical setting and engaging with the participants directly was unfeasible. Consequently, the questionnaires were formulated online and shared via social media platforms through an online hyperlink. Using various electronic communication channels such as Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, and email for distributing the questionnaires to the participants may have potentially resulted in adverse impacts on the accuracy and precision of their responses. Hence, to enhance the reliability and consistency of the outcomes derived from the utilization of research instruments, it is recommended to undertake an investigation concerning the subject matter of the present study and to administer the research instruments in person to ensure precise and valid responses of the participants to the questionnaire items.

Keywords

• Emotional Divorce
• Dyadic Perfectionism
• Resiliency

Main Subjects

• Woman and family