Explaining the Processes Underlying the Development of Emotional Coldness among Dual-Earner Couples
Keywords:
emotional coldness, dual-earner couples, work–family conflict, marital intimacy, thematic analysis, TehranAbstract
This study aimed to explain the psychological, relational, and contextual processes through which emotional coldness develops among dual-earner couples in Tehran. This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. Participants included 18 dual-earner couples, 36 individuals in total, living in Tehran. They were recruited through purposive sampling according to criteria such as both spouses being employed, at least three years of marital life, perceived decline in emotional intimacy, and willingness to participate in interviews. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The mean interview duration was 58 minutes. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using NVivo software according to the phases of thematic analysis, including familiarization with the data, initial coding, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the analytic report. Data analysis led to the extraction of four main categories: exhaustion caused by simultaneous role demands, erosion of emotional dialogue, perceived inequality in domestic and caregiving responsibilities, and the gradual transformation of marriage into functional cohabitation. Participants described emotional coldness not as a sudden marital event but as a gradual process emerging from accumulated fatigue, repeated postponement of emotional needs, reduced couple time, and the persistent feeling of not being seen by one’s spouse. The findings indicated that emotional coldness among dual-earner couples results from the interaction of occupational pressures, unequal organization of domestic life, weakened emotional dialogue, and the decline of intimacy rituals. Couple therapy interventions for this population should move beyond communication skills alone and address role redistribution, work–family boundary management, and the reconstruction of shared emotional time.
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