Core Beliefs About Love and Communication Effectiveness: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility
Keywords:
Core beliefs about love, cognitive flexibility, communication effectiveness, romantic relationshipsAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between core beliefs about love and communication effectiveness in romantic relationships. The research employed a descriptive correlational design with a sample of 385 adult participants from Iraq, selected based on Morgan and Krejcie’s sample size table. Participants completed three standardized instruments: the Love Attitudes Scale (LAS), the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ). Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 for descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients, and AMOS-24 for Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Model fit was assessed using indices such as CFI, TLI, RMSEA, GFI, and χ²/df. Results indicated a significant negative correlation between core beliefs about love and communication effectiveness (r = -0.47, p < .001), and between core beliefs and cognitive flexibility (r = -0.42, p < .001). A significant positive correlation was found between cognitive flexibility and communication effectiveness (r = 0.52, p < .001). SEM results showed an acceptable model fit (χ²/df = 2.02, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.052). Path analysis revealed that core beliefs significantly predicted both cognitive flexibility (β = -0.42, p < .001) and communication effectiveness directly (β = -0.29, p < .001), as well as indirectly through cognitive flexibility (indirect effect B = -0.32, p < .001). The total effect of core beliefs on communication effectiveness was β = -0.52. The findings support the mediating role of cognitive flexibility in the association between core beliefs about love and communication effectiveness. Enhancing cognitive flexibility may mitigate the adverse effects of rigid love schemas and improve relational communication, particularly in culturally conservative contexts.
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