Marital Infidelity among Married Couples: Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Narcissistic Personality Traits in Makurdi, Benue State

Abstract

This study investigated emotional intelligence and narcissistic personality traits as predictors of marital infidelity in Makurdi Metropolis Benue State. Two hundred married couples from the area, who had been married for up to five years (2018 - 2022), participated in this cross-sectional research. The sample consisted of 96 (48%) males and 104 (52%) females, with an average mean age of X=2.64, and standard deviation of SD=.80850. The Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale, Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale (HSNS), and Marital Infidelity Scale (MIS) were used for data collection. Simple linear and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to test three hypotheses. The results indicated that emotional intelligence significantly predicted marital infidelity among married couples in Makurdi Metropolis [R=.418, R2=174 F (1,194) = 40.973, p<.01]. Similarly, narcissistic personality traits significantly predicted marital infidelity among couples in the same area [R=.418, R2=174 F(1,194) = 40.973, p<.01]. Additionally, the combination of emotional intelligence and narcissistic personality traits had a significant predictive influence on marital infidelity [R = .435, R2 = .189, F(2,187) = 21.627 p<.01]. Based on these findings, it is recommended that couples improve on willingness to communicate - communication skills and understanding of each other’s emotions is very important before making and taking any actions. This can help navigate conflicts and challenges more effectively. Marital Institutions can offer comprehensive pre-marital counselling programs that include discussions on emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and relationship expectations.