Monavar Ghazanfari Shabankare - PhD Candidate, Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
Alireza Heidari - Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran.
Behnam Makvandi - Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
Fatemeh Sadat Marashian - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

Introduction: Marital infidelity is a major factor that affects the strength, durability, and mental health of families. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of marital satisfaction in the causal relationships between forgiveness and the feeling of loneliness with attitudes toward marital infidelity in married students. Materials and Methods:  This causal-correlational and field study was conducted on ۲۱۱ married students who were selected from Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran, during the academic year ۲۰۱۸-۲۰۱۹ through convenience sampling. The data were collected using the Interpersonal Forgiveness Inventory, Russell’s Loneliness Scale, Whatley’s Attitude towards Infidelity Scale, and ENRICH marital satisfaction questionnaire. Furthermore, the data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version ۲۴) through descriptive and inferential statistics, including mean±SD, Pearson’s correlation, and path analysis. Results: A direct and negative relationship was observed between forgiveness and attitudes toward marital infidelity (β=-۰.۱۸۱, P=۰.۰۱۳); feeling of loneliness and marital satisfaction (β=-۰.۲۵۲, P=۰.۰۰۱); and marital satisfaction and attitudes toward marital infidelity (β=-۰.۴۱۸, P=۰.۰۰۱). Furthermore, there was a direct and positive relationship between forgiveness and marital satisfaction (β=۰.۵۱۷, P=۰.۰۰۱). Eventually, there was no significant direct relationship between the feeling of loneliness and attitudes toward marital infidelity (β=-۰.۰۲۹, P=۰.۶۵۲). The results of path analysis indicated that marital satisfaction had a mediating role in the relationship between forgiveness and attitude towards marital infidelity (β=-۰.۱۶۵, P=۰.۰۰۱), as well as the association between the feeling of loneliness and attitude towards marital infidelity (β=۰.۱۳۸, P=۰.۰۰۲). Conclusion: The results showed a good fit for the proposed model in this study. Moreover, marital satisfaction played an important role in the relationship between forgiveness and the feeling of loneliness with the attitude toward marital infidelity.

Extramarital Relationships, Forgiveness, Loneliness, Satisfaction