Innocent cheaters: a new scale measuring the moral disengagement of marital infidelity

Marital infidelity is both socially perceived as immoral and very frequent. This contradiction might be explained through the process of moral disengagement, specifically by the use of certain socially shared moral justifications of infidelity, which consequently foster unfaithful behavior. This research developed and examined the Infidelity Moral Disengagement Scale (IMDS), aiming to capture the strategies of morally legitimizing infidelity used among people engaged in marital relationships. Across two studies (total N = 609 married participants) we investigated the dimensions and psychometric properties of the IMDS. Results showed that the dominant strategies of legitimizing marital infidelity are the diffusion of responsibility, the attribution of blame on the cheated partner, advantageous comparisons with other immoral acts, justifying infidelity through certain benefits, and minimizing its negative consequences. The IMDS emerged as negatively related to moral identity and strongly associated to people’s past infidelity and to their tendency to engage in unfaithful behaviors.

The Effectiveness of Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Therapy on Alexithymia and Marital Boredom, Case study: Women Affected by Marital Infidelity in Mashhad, Iran

Introduction: The aim of current paper was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy (ACT) and group cognitive therapy (GCT) on Alexithymia and marital boredom (MB) among women affected by marital infidelity in Mashhad. Method: This clinical trial was a double- blind study with a pretest-posttest design in which two intervention groups and one control group were investigated. The study performed on women who realized their spouse infidelity and referred to Azad University Counseling Center in Mashhad in 2018. The sample consisted of 30 women who were selected by purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to two intervention groups and a control group (n=10 per group). The intervention groups were put under ACT training (twelve 90-minute sessions) and GCT training (twelve 90-minute sessions), but the control group did not receive any intervention. Data was obtained by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 and Pines Marital Boredom Scale and was analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance with SPSS (version 22) software. Results: The results showed a significant reduction in the mean score of MB in the ACT group, also there was a significant reduction in the mean score of Alexithymia in the GCT group (P <0.05). So comparing both therapies, ACT was more influential on reducing marital boredom whereas GCT was more effective on reducing alexithymia. Conclusion: Although both intervention methods were effective on Alexithymia and Marital Boredom in women affected by marital infidelity, it was demonstrated that ACT and GCT have more effect on Marital Boredom and Alexithymia, respectively.

Relationship Between the Use of Pornography and Marital Sexual Satisfaction and Attitudes Towards Marital Infidelity in Married Women in Zahedan City

Background: The spread of the Internet and the improvement of audio and video media have led to the emergence of an industry called pornography. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the use of pornography and marital sexual satisfaction and attitudes toward marital infidelity in married women in Zahedan. Patients and Methods: This was a descriptive correlational study. The statistical population consisted of all working married women and housewives in Zahedan during 2017. Among them, a sample of 190 people (95 housewives and 95 employed women) was selected through a convenience sampling method. To collect data, the problematic pornography use scale, the Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (women's form), and Whatley's attitudes toward marital infidelity scale were used. Results: Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression. According to the results, there was a significant reverse relationship between the use of pornography and its components and marital sexual satisfaction, and the use of pornography to escape or avoid negative emotions was a negative predictor of marital sexual satisfaction. There was a significant direct relationship between the use of pornography and its components and the attitude towards marital infidelity, and the psychological and social problems of using pornography were a positive predictor of attitude towards marital infidelity. Conclusions: It is necessary to consider appropriate strategies to reduce the use of pornography to promote marital sexual satisfaction and reduce the attitude towards marital infidelity in married women.

Theoretical analisis of the causes of jealousy

The purpose of the article. Theoretical analysis of the causes and manifestations of jealousy. Methodology. The basis of the study is a theoretical analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization of available scientific literature on the subject. Results. Theoretical analysis of scientific works clarified psychological features and factors of jealousy in marital partners. Scientists identify the leading factors of jealousy of marriage partners personal characteristics, in particular: inadequate self-esteem, self-doubt, inferiority complex, as well as mental and neurotic personality disorders, abuse of alcohol, drugs, various psychoactive substances; jealousy of the traitor, which arise for self-defense; provocative games and flirting partner; negative previous experience of close relationships, in particular experiences of infidelity and marital infidelity in the relationship. Among the causes of jealousy are demographic, socio-psychological and individual-psychological one. Demographic factors are identified by age and gender. The presence of siblings, the order of birth in the family, the model of the parental family, etc. belong to the group of socio-psychological reasons. The group of individual psychological factors that influence the emergence and manifestation of jealousy is represented by the emotional sphere of personality (sentimentality, passion, affectivity, stress) and its psychological guidelines, inertia of mental processes, human self-esteem, value orientations. Practical implications. The need to study jealousy, is the importance of knowing the nature and causes of their appearance in the process of psychological counseling of spouses who are on the verge of divorce due to jealousy. Theoretical materials can be used in the training process of the courses “Psychology of personality”, “Age Psychology”, “Differential Psychology”, “Family Psychology”, “Fundamentals psychological correction”. Theoretical generalizations and conclusions can be used in the implementation of psychological advising marriage partners on problems arising from jealousy marital relations. Originality/value. Theoretical substantiation of the problem of the causes and manifestations of jealousy allows us to conclude that jealousy is characterized as a complex psychological phenomenon related to the sphere of feelings and, depending on their features, is accompanied by different emotions. Key words: emotions, feelings, jealousy, causes of jealousy, demographic causes of jealousy, socio-psychological causes of jealousy, individual-psychological causes.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Self-compassion-based Therapy On Emotion Regulation In Women Affected by Infidelity

Background: Marital infidelity is a crisis for couples and families. identifying an effective treatment approach at the lowest cost can be effective in preventing and intervening in injuries caused by infidelity. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of emotion-based couple therapy and self-compassion-based therapy on emotion regulation in women affected by infidelity. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was designed as pre-test-post-test with follow-up. The study population included all couples involved in marital infidelity who referred to Iranmehr Counseling and Psychological Services Center in Rasht, Iran in 2020, from which 20 couples were selected as the sample by available sampling method. Granfsky emotion regulation questionnaire was used to collect data and emotion-focused couple therapy sessions and self-compassion-based therapy were performed for 16 sessions of 4 hours (one treatment every two hours) on a weekly basis. After three months of treatment sessions, couples also participated in a follow-up session in order to measure the duration of treatment. Data were analyzed using combined analysis of variance. Results: The results showed that both therapies are effective in increasing the emotional regulation of couples, but there is no significant difference between emotion-oriented couples therapy and compassion-based therapy on emotion regulation (F = 1.57 and P = 0.218). Conclusion: Both treatment approaches in counseling centers were very effective in helping incompatible couples to improve and reduce marital problems, increasing satisfaction, especially in couples affected by infidelit

A Study of the Processes and Contextual Factors of Marital Infidelity

Objective: An increase in post-marital relationships has had adverse consequences. One of the consequences is family dissolution and the breakdown of social units (families). The present study aimed to study the processes and contextual factors of marital infidelity. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the grounded theory method. The research population included couples who experienced marital infidelity. A total of 32 participants were selected using the purposive sampling method in 2019. We conducted semi-structured interviews with the participants to collect the study data, and the interviews continued until the data saturation. The collected data were systematically analyzed in three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. Results: Analysis of the data collected revealed 51 codes extracted through open coding. Then, the extracted codes were merged into 10 categories via axial coding. These categories included four themes: the formation of the context of marital infidelity, predictions of marital infidelity, engaging in marital infidelity, and the consequences of marital infidelity. Conclusion: Given that marital infidelity is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, the insights from this study can be used to develop models to identify and prevent predictors of marital infidelity.

The Bitter Lot of the Rebellious Wife: Hierarchy, Obedience, and Punishment in Q. 4:34

Q. 4:34 was universally interpreted in premodern Qur'an commentaries and legal works as permitting a husband to strike his wife if she is guilty of nushūz, a term that was understood to mean some manner of disobedience on the wife's part. Thus, according to the traditional interpretation of the verse, a wife is required to show obedience to her husband, and the husband is placed in authority over his wife. In this paper I first engage in a close reading of the verse within its literary context, and re-examine the verse's gender hierarchy and the question of the wife's obedience to her husband. Second, I attempt to re-evaluate the key term nushūz in light of its use elsewhere in the Qur'an, in Jāhilī and early Islamic poetry, and in other early Islamic literature beyond the Qur'an commentaries and legal works. I argue that the evidence consistently shows that nushūz refers not to disobedience, but to a desire to leave one's husband, usually coupled with being involved with another man, and thus may be a euphemism used to refer to marital infidelity. Finally, I explore the relationship between Q. 4:34 and the rabbinic rules for the sotah, or wife suspected of adultery. As we shall see, there is a remarkable overlap in the legislation for the wife suspected of nushūz and the rabbinic sotah, suggesting that the two are addressing the same issue.

REPERCUSSIONS OF MARITAL INFIDELITY IN MALAYSIA: A LEGAL RESPONSE

In today’s modern society, marital infidelity has become a dangerous threat to married life. Married couples are seen to be ‘comfortable’ in engaging in relationships with third parties. Such a trend has greatly contributed to the breakdown of marriages and subsequently led to the increase in the number of divorces and thus threatening the family institution. There are diverse causes for the prevalence of marital infidelity and this includes marriage boredom, unrealistic expectations, conflicts and misunderstandings between the husband and the wife. Although the seriousness of the affairs is widely recognized but marital infidelity is not considered as an offence in many jurisdictions including Malaysia. The objective of this article is to discuss the legal repercussions of marital infidelity in Malaysia and to consider whether existing legal solutions through the enforcement of law is an adequate mechanism to curb this social problem. The methodology adopted in this study is based on the content analysis of reports, case laws, leading textbooks and journal articles. The article is significant as it addresses crucial concerns over the adequacy of existing laws relating to the protection of the marriage and family institutions in Malaysia. The article is concluded with a series of recommendations and suggestions for improvements in existing law through appropriate legal mechanisms so as to curb the issue of marital infidelity in order to preserve the well-being of the family institution as a whole.