The Structural Relationships among Differentiation of Self, Conflict Resolution Styles, Emotional Intimacy, and Marital Stability
Keywords:
Differentiation of Self, Conflict Resolution Styles, Emotional Intimacy, Marital Stability, Structural Equation ModelingAbstract
The present study aimed to examine the structural relationships among differentiation of self, conflict resolution styles, emotional intimacy, and marital stability and to investigate the direct and indirect pathways through which these variables influence marital stability among married adults. This study employed a cross-sectional correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM). The participants consisted of 642 married adults residing in the United States who were selected through online and community-based recruitment methods. Data were collected using the Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised (DSI-R), the Conflict Resolution Styles Inventory (CRSI), the Emotional Intimacy Scale (EIS), and the Marital Instability Index (MII). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analyses, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were conducted using SPSS 29 and AMOS 29. Model fit was evaluated using multiple goodness-of-fit indices, and indirect effects were tested through bootstrapping procedures with 5,000 resamples. The proposed structural model demonstrated satisfactory fit to the data (χ²/df = 2.57, CFI = 0.948, TLI = 0.942, GFI = 0.918, AGFI = 0.904, RMSEA = 0.050, SRMR = 0.047). Differentiation of self positively predicted positive problem-solving conflict resolution (β = 0.58, p < .001), emotional intimacy (β = 0.41, p < .001), and marital stability (β = 0.24, p < .001), while negatively predicting conflict engagement (β = -0.49, p < .001) and withdrawal (β = -0.53, p < .001). Positive problem solving positively predicted emotional intimacy (β = 0.36, p < .001), whereas conflict engagement (β = -0.21, p < .001) and withdrawal (β = -0.25, p < .001) negatively predicted emotional intimacy. Emotional intimacy emerged as the strongest predictor of marital stability (β = 0.57, p < .001). Significant indirect effects were observed between differentiation of self and marital stability through conflict resolution styles and emotional intimacy (β = 0.33, p < .001). The model explained 58% of the variance in emotional intimacy and 67% of the variance in marital stability. The findings indicate that differentiation of self contributes significantly to marital stability both directly and indirectly through constructive conflict resolution styles and enhanced emotional intimacy. Emotional intimacy functions as a central mechanism linking individual psychological functioning and interpersonal relationship processes to marital stability. Interventions designed to strengthen self-differentiation, improve conflict management skills, and foster emotional intimacy may be effective strategies for promoting stable and satisfying marital relationships.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mireille Claustres ; Gugu Rutherford, Sierra Grant-Ashbaugh (Author)
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