The Effect of Forgiveness-Based Therapy on Marital Burnout, Dysfunctional Communication Beliefs, and Life Orientation in Women Affected by Infidelity
| Author | Javad Taghavi | en |
| Author | Behnam Makvandi | en |
| Author | Hamdollah Jayervand | en |
| Orcid | Javad Taghavi [0009-0005-4369-6823] | en |
| Orcid | Behnam Makvandi [0000-0003-0223-5033] | en |
| Orcid | Hamdollah Jayervand [0000-0002-0478-8822] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-07-31 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Spousal infidelity severely disrupts family structures and often precipitates marital burnout, dysfunctional beliefs about communication, and a pessimistic life orientation. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of forgiveness-based therapy in reducing marital burnout and dysfunctional communication beliefs and improving life orientation among women affected by spousal infidelity. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up assessments and a control group was used. The study population comprised all married women who sought psychological counseling in Guilan province, Iran, between 2023 and 2024 because of their spouse’s infidelity. Using purposive sampling, 60 eligible participants were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The experimental group received forgiveness-based therapy. Data were collected using the Couple Burnout Measure (CBM), Relationship Beliefs Inventory (RBI), and Revised Life Orientation Test (R-LOT) and analyzed using a mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance in SPSS. Results: The results showed significant group × time interactions for marital burnout (P = 0.001), dysfunctional communication beliefs (P = 0.001), and life orientation (P = 0.001), indicating the sustained positive effect of the intervention over time. Conclusions: These findings suggest that forgiveness-based therapy may be an effective psychological intervention for reducing marital burnout and dysfunctional communication beliefs while fostering a more positive life orientation among women experiencing spousal infidelity. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/zjrms-171731 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/zjrms/articles/171731 | en |
| Keyword | Forgiveness | en |
| Keyword | Extramarital Relationships | en |
| Keyword | Psychological Burnout | en |
| Keyword | Optimism | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | The Effect of Forgiveness-Based Therapy on Marital Burnout, Dysfunctional Communication Beliefs, and Life Orientation in Women Affected by Infidelity | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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