Relationship Between Irrational Relationship Beliefs and Couple Burnout: The Mediator Role of Non_Adaptive Strategies of Cognitive Emotion Regulation

Abstract

Introduction: One of the factors leading to the reduction of the stability and quality of marital life is couple burnout. Hence, any endeavor for protecting the couples’ relationship against possible damages is necessary and valuable .Accordingly,the present study was aimed to investigate the mediating role of non-adaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation in the relationship between irrational Relationship beliefs and couple burnout. Materials and methods:The method of the present study was descriptive-correlational, and was basic regarding its purpose.The sample size included 300 married women living in Tehran that were selected through the accessible sampling method.To collect data, Pines’s couple burnout (CBM;1996), Eidelson and Epstein’s Relationship beliefs (IRB;1982),and Garnefski, kraaij, and Spinhoven’s cognitive emotion regulation(CERQ;2006)questionnaires were used.Finally,Data were analyzed with the Pearson correlation and path analysis. Results:The results of the mediation analysis indicated that the direct effect of irrational Relationship beliefs on couple burnout was significant (β=0.396;p < 0.05).The indirect effect of irrational Relationship beliefs on couple burnout through non-adaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation was also significant (β=0.061; p < 0.05).Therefore, non- adaptive strategies of cognitive emotion regulation had a partial mediating role in the relationship between irrational Relationship beliefs and couple burnout. Conclusion:According to the result of the present study, it can be acknowledged that the relationship beliefs and strategies of cognitive emotion regulation have an important and influential role in the stability and quality of couples’ life because the shortcomings related to the couples’affective and emotional capabilities along with the dysfunctional beliefs can become an obstacle for building the intimate relationships and perceiving the feelings correctively that leads to the reduction of couples’ satisfaction.So the results of the present study can be used for early detection of couple burnout and preventing its occurrence.