Prediction of the Tendency Toward Emotional Divorce based on Personality Traits, Metacognitive Beliefs and Emotional Maturity of Couples

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personality traits, emotional maturity, and meta-cognitive beliefs with the tendency toward emotional divorce in couples in city of Zanjan.

This was a correlational research and the statistical population of the study consisted of married students who were studying at Zanjan University in the academic year of 2016-17. In this study, 150 married students were selected using available sampling method. Data were collected through McCrae and Costa Personality Questionnaire (1990), Singh and Bahargawa Emotional Maturity Questionnaire (1974), Wells Metacognitive Beliefs Questinnaire  (2000), Gottman’s Emotional Divorce Questionnaire (2008). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression.

Findings showed a negative significant relationship between personality characteristics of conscientiousness and acceptability with  tendency to emotional divorce. A positive significant relationship was observed between personality characteristic of neuroticism and tendency toward emotional divorce (P <0.01). Moreover, the findings also showed a positive and significant positive correlation between emotional maturity and tendency for emotional divorce, and positive relationship between positive beliefs and tendency toward emotional divorce (P<0.01). Overall, acceptance and conscientiousness show a negative, while neuroticism and emotional maturity show a positive and significant tendency prediction towards emotional divorce.

According to personality traits, emotional maturity and metacognitive belief variables related to emotional divorce, can be identified and used in psychological and counseling interventions for couples.