Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Infidelity in committed relationships I: a methodological review.

Adrian J Blow1, Kelley Hartnett

  • 1Department of Counseling and Family Therapy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA. blowaj@slu.edu

Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
|June 25, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Research on infidelity is limited and often lacks practical application for therapists. This review critically examines existing studies, highlighting methodological weaknesses and proposing future research directions for better clinical insights.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Impact of Father Involvement and Positive Parenting on Child Mental Health: Insights From a Survey of Ugandan Households.

Family process·2026
Same author

Culturally Informed Parenting Assessment: The Adaptation of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire With Input From Ugandan Experts and Parents.

Family process·2025
Same author

What predicts personal growth following a deployment? An examination of National Guard soldiers through the lens of posttraumatic growth.

Military psychology : the official journal of the Division of Military Psychology, American Psychological Association·2024
Same author

Training of interventionists and cultural adaptation procedures: A systematic review of culturally adapted evidence-based parenting programs in Africa.

Family process·2022
Same author

Health-Related Quality of Life: Longitudinal Analysis From the Time of Breast Biopsy Into the Post-treatment Period.

Frontiers in global women's health·2021
Same author

Affair recovery: Exploring similarities and differences of injured and involved partners.

Journal of marital and family therapy·2021

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Relationship Science

Background:

  • Infidelity presents significant challenges in couple therapy.
  • Abundant clinical literature contrasts with a scarcity of robust empirical research.
  • Existing research often lacks practical utility for therapists.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a comprehensive methodological review of infidelity research from 1980 to the present.
  • To identify limitations in the existing research literature.
  • To offer recommendations for future research directions.

Main Methods:

  • Narrative and tabular review of empirical studies on infidelity.
  • Analysis of research methodologies, including definitions, study designs, and sampling.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Identification of common challenges in infidelity research.

    • Main Results:

    • Lack of a universally accepted definition of infidelity.
    • Significant methodological challenges including retrospective designs, confidentiality concerns, measurement issues, and sampling biases (lack of diversity and randomization).
    • Existing research is often methodologically weak and not directly applicable to clinical practice.

    Conclusions:

    • The current body of research on infidelity is insufficient to guide clinical practice effectively.
    • Future research must address definitional ambiguities and methodological limitations.
    • Improved research designs and sampling strategies are crucial for advancing the understanding and treatment of infidelity in couples.