Journal of Family Research

Journal of Family Research

Predictors of infidelity from the Perspective of women who participated in infidelity and those who are injured of infidelity: A Qualitative Study

Document Type : علمی - پژوهشی

Authors
Nahid Sadat Sharifi 1
Fereshteh Mootabi 2
Mohammad Ali Mazaheri 3
Mina Pahlavan 2
1 .department of psychology. Islamic Azad University. Science and Research Branch
2 family research institute .shahid beheshti university. tehran.iran
3 Department of Education Sciences and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.48308/jfr.20.1.172
Abstract
Infidelity is one of the most impactful events in the life of couples. Thus, the purpose of this study is identifying the predictors of infidelity among women who were unfaithful themselves or were victims of infidelity. This research was qualitative and used foundational data and its statistical population included married women who had experienced emotional and/or sexual infidelity. The sampling was purposeful and to achieve this, places such as counseling centers, family courts, and radio and television were used. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews to the point of saturation and were analyzed using Strauss selective coding method and in an open and axial manner. Thus, 15 victims and 12 perpetrators were interviewed. The results indicated the existence of individual, relational and contextual factors. Victims considered the unmet needs of their husbands, life problems and the existence of underlying conditions to be effective. Among perpetrators, a sense of being seen and the existence of underlying conditions were identified as two main categories in the occurrence of infidelity. Given the consequences of infidelity, it seems paramount to take the necessary measures to prevent its occurrence, by studying the underlying factors.
Keywords
Infidelity
Marriage
Couple
Qualitative Study
Subjects