Evaluating the model of religious beliefs, conflict resolution styles, and marital commitment with attitudes toward marital infidelity

Marital unfaithfulness, as a traumatic event, can endanger a couple's marital life. This research aimed to evaluate the model of religious beliefs, conflict resolution styles, and marital commitment with an approach toward marital infidelity. This is a descriptive correlational study. A sample of 279 out of all parents of students in preschools and elementary schools of Pol-e Dokhtar, Iran was selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using four questionnaires: Azerbaijani Religious Orientation, Rahim Conflict Resolution Styles, Adams and Jones Marital Commitment, and Mark Whatley Attitudes toward Infidelity Scale. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SPSS16 and AMOS21. The results showed that evaluated structural model is fit enough. Religious beliefs and conflict resolution styles had a direct, positive, and significant relationship with marital commitment; however, marital commitment had a negative, significant relationship with attitudes toward infidelity. Conflict resolution styles had no direct, significant relationship with attitudes toward infidelity. Marital commitment mediated the relationship of religious beliefs and conflict resolution styles with attitudes toward infidelity. According to the findings, religious beliefs and conflict resolution styles play a key role in reducing the extramarital relations through the effect on marital commitment in marital relationships.