Self-Esteem, Spirituality, and the Tendency Toward Retaliatory Infidelity Among Women Experiencing Marital Betrayal

Introduction: Marital infidelity often results in significant emotional distress. In some cultural contexts, including the Iranian context, this distress may be particularly pronounced among women. Exploring psychological and spiritual factors influencing their reactions is vital for developing supportive interventions. Aim: This study investigated the relationships between self-esteem, spirituality, and the likelihood of retaliatory infidelity in women who have experienced partner betrayal. Methods: A sample of 400 Iranian women who had encountered infidelity completed questionnaires assessing demographics, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, a spirituality scale, and an infidelity tendency measure. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multivariate regression. Results: The average infidelity tendency score exceeded the cut-off point. Regression analyses revealed significant negative associations between self-esteem (P = 0.001, β = -0.52) and spirituality (P = 0.001, β = -0.21) with infidelity tendency, jointly explaining 35.9% of the variance. No significant associations were found between infidelity tendency and age, education, or marriage duration (P > 0.05). Discussion/Conclusion: Higher levels of self-esteem and spirituality were associated with lower tendencies toward infidelity among women who had experienced marital betrayal. These findings highlight the protective role of personal and spiritual strengths, advocating their integration into therapeutic and educational support strategies. reviewed acceptedVersion