The The Indirect Association between Self-Differentiation and Familism with Marital Conflicts through Intimacy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Married Individuals in Isfahan, Iran The Relationship Between Differentiation and Familism with Marital Conflicts in Married Couples: The Mediating Role of Intimacy
International Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences,
Vol. 13 No. 2 (2026),
18 August 2026
,
Page 32-42
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijabs.v13i2.51152
Abstract
Background and Aim: Marital conflicts significantly impact relationship satisfaction, family stability, and psychological well-being. However, the interplay of individual and cultural factors, such as differentiation of self and familism, particularly with the mediating role of intimacy, has been underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the indirect associations between differentiation of self, familism, and marital conflicts among married individuals, with intimacy as a mediating factor.
Materials and Methods: This study employed a correlational and path analysis design. The population consisted of all married individuals residing in Isfahan, Iran, in 2025. A sample of 258 participants was selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Differentiation of Self Inventory by Skowron and Dendy (2004), the Familism Scale by Steidel and Contreras (2003), and the Intimacy Scale by Walker and Thompson (1983), and the Marital Conflicts Questionnaire by Sanaei, Barati, and Bostanipour (2008). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with SPSS-22 and AMOS-24 software.
Results: The results indicated that differentiation of self and familism were not directly associated with marital conflicts but showed significant indirect associations through intimacy, with intimacy acting as a partial mediator (VAF values of 0.74 and 0.71, respectively). The model explained 68% of the variance in marital conflicts.
Conclusion: These findings underscore the central role of intimacy in mediating the associations between self-differentiation and familism, on the one hand, and marital conflicts, on the other. However, given the cross-sectional nature of the study, causal inferences cannot be established. Accordingly, future longitudinal research is needed to clarify and confirm these indirect associations.
- Differentiation of self; Familism; Intimacy; Marital conflicts; Married individuals
How to Cite
References
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