The Relationship of Moral Judgment and Adherence to Believers with Breakdown in the Family Institution

Family is a complex system of relationships, processes, and phenomena within the lives of its members, encompassing physical and psychological, economic and moral, social, and cultural aspects of society. A strong foundation for a healthy family can transform this social institution into a sanctuary for its members and a platform for human growth in all societies. In contemporary societies, the family has encountered various challenges due to shifts in its values and functions. Some of these challenges have impacted the relationships between spouses, leading to family breakdown. It is evident that the factors disrupting the functions of the family institution also contribute to numerous social harms. Despite extensive research on the family and its challenges in different societies and times, it is difficult to pinpoint specific and identical causes that threaten the foundation of the family. Therefore, understanding the social and individual factors that interfere with and affect family functions has always been a focal point of sociological studies and research, particularly in explaining the threats and causes of conflicts and differences, especially between couples. Based on individual and social circumstances, there are instances where couples, despite being dissatisfied with their relationships, are compelled to remain together, preserving the family structure outwardly but experiencing a decrease in emotional intimacy, which is often referred to as emotional divorce. This type of rupture in family relations has numerous direct and indirect consequences for both family members and society at large.

 This research was classified as an applied research as the researchers aimed to experimentally test theoretical concepts with the results intended for practical application in addressing challenges within the research topic. In terms of its temporal nature, this study was cross-sectional. The method of data collection employed was a survey with information gathered through reviewing the respondents' answers. Furthermore, it was a correlational study as it evaluated and measured the correlation between variables. The target sample for this research comprised all married individuals residing in the 5th, 7th, and 8th regions of Tabriz City during the period of 2022-2023. The determined sample size was 384 individuals calculated by using Cochran's formula from the total married population living in the researched areas, which, based on the 2015 census, amounted to 311,380 people. Sampling was conducted in a clustered manner and the data collection tool utilized was a questionnaire comprising a combination of standard questions and those formulated by the researchers.

The research findings revealed a significant and positive correlation between moral judgment and family breakdown. This suggested that when ethical standards are not grounded in rational reasoning and established definitions, but rather based on individual judgments regarding societal values and beliefs, ethical considerations become a source of disagreement and conflict among family members, thereby posing a risk to the cohesion of the family institution.Furthermore, the results demonstrated a significant and inverse relationship between adherence to beliefs and family disintegration. In other words, as adherence to beliefs increases, family breakdown decreases. Beliefs play a crucial role in marriage and are intertwined with the activities that spouses engage in together. When couples significantly differ in this aspect, the stability of their relationship diminishes, leading the family towards a conflict and eventual dissolution.