Structural Modeling of Attitudes Toward Infidelity Based on Childhood Traumatic Experiences and Alexithymia: The Mediating Role of Distress Tolerance in Women with Marital Maladjustment
Objective: This study aimed to model the structural relationships of attitudes toward infidelity based on childhood traumatic experiences and alexithymia, with the mediating role of distress tolerance among women with marital maladjustment.
Methods and Materials: A descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional design using structural equation modeling was employed. The study included 310 women with marital maladjustment who attended counseling centers in Tehran, Iran, in 2025 and were selected through purposive sampling. Participants completed the Attitudes Toward Infidelity Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, and Distress Tolerance Scale. Data were analyzed in SPSS 26 and AMOS using maximum-likelihood estimation and Sobel tests for indirect effects.
Findings: Childhood traumatic experiences had a significant positive direct association with attitudes toward infidelity (β = .33, test statistic = 3.32, p = .001), as did alexithymia (β = .29, test statistic = 2.90, p = .004). Distress tolerance had a significant inverse association with attitudes toward infidelity (β = -.44, test statistic = -4.44, p = .001). Significant indirect effects through distress tolerance were found for childhood traumatic experiences (β = .14, z = 2.37, p = .03) and alexithymia (β = .17, z = 2.61, p = .02).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that developmental adversity and impaired emotional processing are associated with more accepting attitudes toward infidelity, partly through reduced capacity to tolerate emotional distress. Assessment and intervention focused on trauma-related vulnerabilities, emotional awareness, and distress-tolerance skills may be useful in counseling women experiencing marital maladjustment.
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