Mother/Daughter-in-Law Relationship and Marital Quality Relationship: Mediating Effect of Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Factors

Abstract :

This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors in the relationship between mother-in-law/daughter-in-law interactions and marital quality. The research design was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population consisted of all married women in Dezful city, with a sample of 506 women selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed several measures: The Quality of Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Relationship Scale (QMDRS), the Measure of Marital Quality, Batson Empathy Adjectives (BEA), the Differentiation Scale (DSI–R), the Coping Strategies Scale (CISS), and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and path analysis. The results indicated that all predictor variables significantly related to marital quality. However, the initial path analysis model did not fit the data adequately. After excluding the factors of differentiation, agreeableness, and problem orientation, a revised model was tested and found to be a better fit. This analysis revealed that the mediating roles of the husband's empathy and emotional strategies significantly influenced the relationship between mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflicts and marital quality. The findings suggest that couple therapists should emphasize the importance of the husband's empathy in therapeutic interventions or marital enrichment efforts.

References:

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