تدوین مدل ساختاری رضایت زناشویی براساس خودگویی با میانجی‌گری راهبردهای تنظیم شناختی هیجان در متاهلین

Introduction:Marital relationships are among the most important human relationships, and their quality affects mental health and overall life satisfaction. Marital satisfaction is a key indicator of relationship stability, which is influenced by various factors. Among them, cognitive mechanisms such as self-talk play an important role. Self-talk refers to individuals' internal dialogues and can be positive or negative. According to Meichenbaum (1977), negative self-talk distorts thoughts and reduces efficiency, while positive self-talk guides behavior. This mechanism is formed from childhood with the development of language and is effective in the processes of regulation, self-management, and emotion control. Breithaupt et al. (2009) introduced four dimensions of self-talk: social evaluation, self-reinforcement, self-management, and self-criticism. Research has shown that some of these dimensions, such as self-criticism, are negatively related to marital satisfaction, but the results are contradictory and indicate the need to examine mediating factors. Since the marital relationship is a context for experiencing diverse emotions, emotion regulation is of particular importance. Garnefsky et al.'s (2002) model introduced adaptive (e.g., positive reappraisal) and maladaptive (e.g., catastrophizing) strategies. Maladaptive strategies are associated with decreased relationship quality and increased tension, while adaptive strategies promote resilience and improved satisfaction. Based on existing theories and evidence, self-talk can influence the selection and use of emotion regulation strategies. However, few studies have examined the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between self-talk and marital satisfaction. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine this cognitive-emotional mechanism.

Method: The present study method is a descriptive correlational study with structural equation modeling. The statistical population included married men and women in 2025 who had access to the Internet and social networks during the sample collection period. The sample size consisted of 446 married men and women who were selected through convenience sampling. This research is descriptive correlational in nature and employs structural equation modeling. Although there is no consensus on the sample size required for factor analysis and structural equation modeling, many researchers suggest that a minimum sample size of 200 is necessary. Kline (46) also posits that 20 samples are needed for each variable. Therefore, in the present study, based on Klein's recommendation and considering the possibility of excluding some data in the process of examining outliers, a sample size of 400 participants was selected and 479 questionnaires were completed at the end of the sample. Inclusion criteria included permanent marriage, living under the same roof, first marriage, and not seeking divorce. To collect data, questionnaires were first designed online and then distributed in channels and groups active in the field of couple relationships on Telegram, Instagram, and ETA. Data collection tools included the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (ENRICH) developed by Olson and Fowers (1993), the Self-Talk Scale (STS) created by Brinthaupt et al. (2009), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) designed by Garnefski et al. (2002). The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling.

Result:The results indicated that self-critical self-talk and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies had a significant direct effect marital satisfaction. Additionally, the findings revealed that adaptive strategies play a mediating role in the relationship between self-enhancement, self-management, and self-criticism with marital satisfaction. In order to evaluate the proposed model in the current research, the structural equation modeling (SEM) method has been employed. To assess the model's suitability, the indicators presented in Table 3 have been utilized. Also, if the normalized fit index (NFI), non-normed fit index (NNFI), comparative fit index (CFI), incremental fit index (IFI), goodness of fit index (GFI), and adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) are greater than 0/90, and the parsimonious fit index (PCFI) and the parsimonious normalized fit index (PNFI) are above 0/60, these metrics indicate an appropriate and optimal fit of the model. Based on the results of the final research model, it is evident that all of these indicators are favorable. Also, if the value obtained from the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) index is less than 0/08, it indicates a good fit for the model (46). In this research, the approximation index of goodness of fit (PCLOSE) is significant, and the RMSEA index is 0/001. It is equal to 0/065, indicating the model's fit based on Klein's framework. Ultimately, the results show that 16% of marital satisfaction can be explained. In other words, self-talk explains 16% of the variance in marital satisfaction, and adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies act as mediators.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that self-talk is an effective mechanism within emotion regulation styles. Self-criticism and social evaluative are associated with reduced self-regulation, whereas self-reinforcement and self-management are related to better adaptation to problems. Adaptive strategies were also positive predictors of marital satisfaction. In addition, self-criticism had a negative effect on satisfaction; decreased self-esteem and increased negative emotions such as shame are among the consequences of self-criticism. The findings indicated that self-reinforcing, self-managing, and self-critical self-talk can predict marital satisfaction through the mediating role of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Self-reinforcement and self-management—mediated by adaptive strategies—reduce negative reactions, improve the emotion regulation process, and ultimately increase satisfaction. Furthermore, self-criticism, in addition to its direct effect, had a significant negative effect through adaptive strategies; however, the magnitude of this negative effect diminished in the presence of adaptive strategies. Therefore, adaptive strategies can be considered protective factors. One limitation of the study was the high level of marital satisfaction in the sample, which restricts the generalizability of the findings to couples with lower satisfaction. Thus, it is suggested that future research examine these mechanisms across different levels of marital satisfaction. Overall, the results demonstrated that self-talk plays an important role in the quality of marital relationships by influencing emotion regulation. Attention to these cognitive and emotional processes can facilitate a better understanding and enhancement of marital satisfaction.