The Relationship Between Coercive Control and Marital Satisfaction and Couple Burnout using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between coercive control and marital satisfaction and couple burnout, utilizing the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) due to the dyadic nature of the questions and purposes.
 
The research design was descriptive and correlational. The sample group included all couples living in Iran with access to cyberspace. Ultimately, 113 couples (226 wives and husbands) in 2022 were selected through online and convenience sampling methods. The Controlling Behaviors Scale (Graham-Kevan and Archer, 2005), ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (Olson and Fowers, 1993), and Couple Burnout Scale (Pines, 1996) were employed in this research. Data analysis was conducted using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to measure interpersonal and dyadic effects.
 
The results indicated that coercive control perpetration by husbands was predictive of their own and their partners’ marital satisfaction and burnout. However, in wives, coercive control perpetration was only predictive of their own marital burnout. Coercive control victimization in wives was predictive of their own and their partners’ marital satisfaction and burnout, while in husbands, it was only predictive of their own marital satisfaction and burnout.
 
The findings underscore the significance of addressing coercive controlling behaviors in the evaluation and treatment of couples’ relationship problems. It is recommended that couple therapists and psychologists design and implement appropriate interventions to improve couples’ relationships, taking into account the effects of coercive control on marital satisfaction and burnout.