Facial Microexpressions in Predicting Marital Emotional Dissolution A Meta-Analytic Evidence Map and Quantitative Synthesis of Adjacent Relationship-Emotion Evidence

Background: Facial microexpressions are brief, low-intensity displays that may provide information about affective orientation during intimate interaction. Their potential relevance to marital emotional dissolution is often discussed, yet direct empirical evidence is scattered across marital-conflict observation, breakup adjustment, automated facial-expression recognition, and broader relationship-quality research. Objective: This study mapped the recent evidence base and conducted a quantitative synthesis only where reported statistics were sufficiently compatible. Method: A structured search and source-verification process targeted peer-reviewed international and Persian-language records published from ۲۰۲۰ through ۲۰۲۵, while foundational pre-۲۰۲۰ studies were retained as historical anchors. Direct facial-behavior evidence was separated from adjacent evidence on emotion regulation, emotion meta-accuracy, automated emotion recognition, and smile synchrony. Pearson correlations were transformed to Fisher’s z for confidence-interval calculation. Results: The direct evidence base remained too sparse and heterogeneous to support a valid pooled estimate for facial microexpressions predicting marital dissolution. The strongest recent direct study compared ۶۱ nondistressed and therapy-seeking couples and found greater and faster smile synchrony among nondistressed couples. In an adjacent study of ۲۷۷ individuals, valuing, humor, and receptive listening correlated with relationship satisfaction at r =.۴۳,.۳۳, and.۲۷, respectively. A Persian meta-analysis of ۳۵ studies reported a random-effects association of r = −.۳۹ between alexithymia and marital satisfaction, but this construct is not facial expression and was not pooled with facial evidence. Conclusion: Facial behavior appears promising as a probabilistic marker of relationship quality, but the current literature does not justify a deterministic claim that a microexpression predicts divorce or emotional divorce. Future research requires preregistered dyadic designs, validated naturalistic facial measures, and longitudinal dissolution outcomes.

کلیدواژه ها:

facial microexpressions ، facial expression recognition ، smile synchrony ، marital emotional dissolution ، relationship quality ، dyadic interaction ، meta-analysis