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Infidelity in couples seeking marital therapy.
David C Atkins1, Jean Yi, Donald H Baucom
1Travis Research Institute, Fuller Graduate School of Psychology, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA. datkins@fuller.edu
Summary
Infidelity in couples is linked to marital instability, dishonesty, and narcissism. Gender moderates these effects, with men showing increased substance use and sexual dissatisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Relationship Science
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Infidelity is a common yet poorly understood phenomenon in relationships.
- Limited research exists on individual and relational factors associated with infidelity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify characteristics differentiating couples with and without infidelity.
- To explore the role of individual traits and relationship dynamics in infidelity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of couples from a randomized clinical trial of marital therapy.
- Comparison of couples with (n=19) and without (n=115) infidelity.
Main Results:
- Couples with infidelity exhibited higher marital instability, dishonesty, arguments about trust, narcissism, and time spent apart.
- Gender significantly moderated effects: men reporting affairs were older, used more substances, and were less sexually satisfied.
Conclusions:
- Infidelity is associated with specific individual and relationship vulnerabilities.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for couple therapists addressing infidelity.