The Link Between Emotional Instability and Marital Burnout: Role of Affective Rumination as Mediator

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional instability and marital burnout, with a focus on the mediating role of affective rumination among married adults in Uzbekistan. A descriptive correlational research design was employed using a sample of 300 married individuals selected based on Morgan and Krejcie’s sample size table. Participants completed standardized self-report questionnaires measuring emotional instability (NEO-FFI Neuroticism subscale), affective rumination (Affective Rumination Scale), and marital burnout (Pines’ Marital Burnout Questionnaire). Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 for descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation, and AMOS-21 for structural equation modeling (SEM) to test direct and indirect effects. Model fit indices, path coefficients, and mediation effects were evaluated to confirm the hypothesized relationships among variables. Pearson’s correlation results revealed that emotional instability was positively correlated with affective rumination (r = .51, p < .001) and marital burnout (r = .48, p < .001), while affective rumination was also positively correlated with marital burnout (r = .56, p < .001). The SEM analysis showed that emotional instability had a significant direct effect on affective rumination (β = 0.51) and marital burnout (β = 0.28), while affective rumination had a significant direct effect on marital burnout (β = 0.39). The indirect effect of emotional instability on marital burnout through affective rumination (β = 0.20) was also significant, confirming partial mediation. Model fit indices indicated an acceptable fit (χ²/df = 1.97, RMSEA = 0.054, CFI = 0.96). The findings suggest that affective rumination is a key psychological mechanism through which emotional instability contributes to marital burnout. Interventions targeting emotional regulation and cognitive processing may help reduce relational fatigue and enhance marital well-being.