Infidelity in Marital Relationships

Authors: Manoochehr Taghi Pour*, Asmah Ismail, Wan Marzuki Wan Jaafar and Yusni Mohamad Yusop

DOI: 10.23880/pprij-16000200

Volume 4, Issue 2

Abstract

Marital infidelity is perhaps the most complex problem encountered by couple and family counselors and psychologists. Many researchers on family and marriage have studies the phenomenon to understand the reasons underlying infidelity and its consequences on the other spouse and children. This paper highlights several important topics related to marital infidelity including definition, prevalence rate, types, demography factors, attitudes, predictors, and effects on other family members. The study employs the meta- analysis approach to analyze past literature on marital infidelity. Personal factors like gender, age, and education, as well as attitudes and cultural values, are significantly related to marital infidelity. Analysis also shows that children, non-infidel partner, and family experience unpleasant consequences due to infidelity. The paper recommends more study be done on the intervention strategies that focus on personal and couple relationship because the problem can be managed and overcome, thus lessen the effects on other family members.

Keywords: Marital infidelity; Adulterous; Affair; Betrayal; Disloyalty; Extramarital; Systematic review; Meta-analysis

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