Clinical Psychology Cultural and Social Psychology

We-ness as a Pathway From Psychological Flexibility to Marital Commitment in Low-Adjustment Couples: A Structural Equation Modeling Study

https://doi.org/10.61838/ijbmc.v12i9.807
Marital commitment psychological flexibility we-ness marital adjustment structural equation modeling

Authors

  • Maryam Imeni Department of Psychology, To.C., Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.
  • Seyedeh Zahra Sadati
    sadati.zahra@yahoo.com
    Department of Psychology, Qas.c. Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran.
In Press
Quantitative Study(ies)

Objective: To test a structural model in which psychological flexibility predicts marital commitment directly and indirectly via we-ness among couples with low marital adjustment.

Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional descriptive–correlational study used structural equation modeling. Participants were 300 married couples (N=600 individuals) with low marital adjustment recruited by convenience sampling from private counseling centers in Karaj, Iran (2024). Measures included the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Marital Commitment Questionnaire, Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire, and a We-ness questionnaire. Analyses were conducted in SPSS and AMOS (v26).

Findings: The model showed acceptable fit (χ²/df = 2.10, RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.94, NFI = 0.91, GFI = 0.96, AGFI = 0.94). Psychological flexibility had a significant direct effect on marital commitment (β=0.32, p=0.001) and on we-ness (β=0.55, p=0.001). We-ness predicted marital commitment (β=0.61, p=0.001) and significantly mediated the flexibility–commitment link (indirect β=0.34, p=0.001).

Conclusion: Higher psychological flexibility is associated with stronger marital commitment, partly through greater couple we-ness, in low-adjustment couples. Longitudinal designs and dyadic analytic approaches are recommended to strengthen causal inference.