Examining the model of relationship between attachment styles and marital satisfaction: The mediating roles of forgiveness and empathy

This study aimed at examining the model of relationship between attachment styles and marital satisfaction with the mediating roles of forgiveness and empathy. The participants include all married students of Yazd University who have got married at least for 2 years aged between 20-45 years old. Among them 200 students (101 men and 99 women) studying in the second semester of 1396-1397 were chosen randomly. The materials used in this study were the questionnaires of the Revised Adult Attachment scale (RAAS) by Collins and Read, Marital Satisfaction Scale, The Family Forgiveness Scale (FFS), and Batson Empathy Altruism (BEA). The collected data were analyzed through Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis (bootstrapping) through SPSS software package 21 and AMOS. The findings of this study indicated that attachment styles have a direct effect on marital satisfaction as well as an findings indirect effect on it through mediation of forgiveness and empathy Moreover, based on the findings, it can be claimed that forgiveness and empathy are such important factors which cause an increase in marital satisfaction directly or indirectly by decreasing the negative effect of some factors such as insecure attachment styles. In conclusion, in order to improve the quality of relationship between couples, according to their attachment style, it is needed to improve forgiveness and empathy between them.