Investigating the Role of Self-Differentiation in Predicting Communication Patterns: The Mediating Role of Psychological Capitals

Effective communication between couples is widely recognized as an effective component of a successful marital relationship, and marital dissatisfaction is the most common reason for couples to seek couple therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of self-differentiation through the mediating of psychological capitals in predicting communication patterns. This was a descriptive- correlational study. The sample consisted of 250 married women residing in Mashhad selected by convenience sampling method and they completed the Communication Patterns Questionnaire, Psychological Capitals Scale, and Differentiation of Self Inventory. The results of the Pearson correlation showed that psychological capitals were significantly correlated with constructive communication, demand/withdrawal communication, and mutual avoidance communication and also self-differentiation was related to constructive communication, demand/withdrawal communication, and mutual avoidance communication. The Bootstrap test also confirmed the mediating role of psychological capitals in the relationship between self-differentiation and communication patterns. Overall, the results of the present study showed that couples ‘communication patterns can be predicted through self-differentiation and psychological capitals and also self-differentiation is related to the couples ‘communication patterns with mediating psychological capitals. Psychological capitals are one of the variables affecting the quality of marital relationship and marital interactions.