فصلنامه روانشناسی کاربردی (Nov 2019)
Causal relationship between time perspective and the marital instability based on the mediator role of communication patterns in married women and men
Abstract
Aim: This research aim was to determine the causal relationship between time perspective and marital instability considering the mediation role of communication patterns. Method: The research method was correlational for a statistical population of six hundred married men and women referred to 37 counseling centers located in District 2 of Tehran city between May and September 2018 with at least three years of experience in marital life. A number of 11 centers were chosen randomly among the above mentioned centers and according to Howit & Cramer, 2004, a sample of 308 individuals was determined and eligible subjects were selected as reachables. The research tool was marital instability index questionnaire proposed by Edwards, Johnson and Booth 1980, communication patterns proposed by Christensen and Sallavy 1984 and finally, time perspective by Zimbardo and Boyd 1999. The data analysis took place using path analysis approach. Results: The results showed that the past negative dimention (β= 0.272, P= 0.001) prospects marital instability positively meanwhile, future dimensions (β= -0.33, P= 0.001), past positive dimention (β= -0.245, P= 0.001), present Hedonistic (β= -0.095, P= 0.005), and mutual constructive communication pattern (β= -0.240, P= 0.001) predict it as negative. Also indirect path’s coefficients showed a positive relationship between the past negative dimension and the marital instability (β= 0.51, P= 0.001), and a negative relationship between dimensions of the future (β= -0.090, P= 0.001), present Hedonistic (β= -0.035, P= 0.005), and marital instability. It is clear that the communication patterns mediate between the dimensions of the past negative, the future, and the present Hedonistic and the marital instability. Conclusion: Based on findings of the present research, it is suggested that family counselors approach toward changing time perspective and training the couples with constructive communication patterns in their counseling sessions, in order to develop and improve marital stability.
