Developing a Psychological Capital Model of Marital Adjustment with the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion among Women and Men in Tehran
Keywords:
Psychological capital, self-compassion, marital adjustment of women and menAbstract
This study aimed to develop and test a structural model of marital adjustment based on the components of psychological capital, with self-compassion as a mediating variable among married women and men in Tehran. This applied, descriptive-correlational study employed structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of married individuals attending neighborhood community centers in Tehran, from whom 276 participants were selected through multistage random sampling. Data were collected using the Luthans Psychological Capital Questionnaire, Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale, and Spanier’s Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Path analysis was conducted in AMOS to examine the direct and indirect relationships among psychological capital components, self-compassion, and marital adjustment and to evaluate the mediating role of self-compassion. The proposed model explained 44% of the variance in marital adjustment and 71% of the variance in self-compassion. Self-efficacy had a significant direct effect on marital adjustment (β=0.167, p=0.001), and hope also exerted a significant direct effect on marital adjustment (β=0.227, p<0.001). The direct effects of optimism and resilience on marital adjustment were not statistically significant. However, the indirect effects of self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience on marital adjustment through self-compassion were significant. Accordingly, self-compassion partially mediated the relationships of self-efficacy and hope with marital adjustment. In contrast, the effects of optimism and resilience on marital adjustment were supported only through the indirect pathway involving self-compassion. Psychological capital, particularly hope and self-efficacy, may enhance marital adjustment both directly and indirectly by strengthening self-compassion. Couple-based educational and counseling interventions designed to develop positive psychological resources and self-compassion may therefore contribute to improved marital functioning and relationship quality.
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