Communication skills and marital satisfaction: considering the moderating role of addiction to virtual social networks

This research aimed to study on the moderating role of virtual social networks addiction in relationship between communication skills and marital satisfaction. The research method was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population of the study consisted of married employees of Tehran municipality in the years 2018-19 that based on the admission criteria, the total number of eligible participants in this study was estimated to be 720 and from this sample, 250 people (135 males and 115 females) were selected by multistage cluster sampling method. The data collection tools consisted of the Communication Skills Inventory (Jerabek 2004), Enrich marital satisfaction scale’s brief form (1993) and addiction to social networks based on mobile questionnaire (Khajeahmadi & et al., 2016). Relationships between variables were tested by Spearman correlation test and The research model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling. Structural equation modeling results showed that addiction to virtual social networks has no moderating role in the relationship between communication skills and marital satisfaction. Spearman correlation test also showed that Positive and significant (0.44) relationship between communication skills and marital satisfaction (p < 0.05). There was a significant negative relationship between marital satisfaction and communication skills with addiction to virtual social networks (respectively -0.40 & -0.38) (p < 0.05). That is, as social network addiction growth, marital satisfaction and communication skills decrease. Since communication skills and marital satisfaction are related to addiction to virtual social networks, it is necessary for health professionals to inform about the phenomenon of social networking addiction and its effects on couples' relationships.