Investigating the Mediating Role of Self-Differentiation in the Association between Self-Silencing and Divorce Proneness in Women

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Psychology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran

10.30476/whb.2026.107823.1364

Abstract

Background: Behaviors of self-silencing, in which individuals prioritize harmony in relationships by repressing their personal needs and wishes, often lead to considerable emotional strain and interpersonal difficulties. The present study investigated how self-differentiation serves as a mediator in the complex link connecting self-silencing to the likelihood of divorce among women.
Methods: The present descriptive-correlational study was conducted in 2024. The statistical population comprised married women residing in Karaj, Iran, from which a convenience sample of 350 individuals was recruited. For data collection, Silencing the Self Scale (STSS), revised Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI-R), and Divorce Proneness Questionnaire (DPQ) were used. For data analysis, Pearson correlation and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were applied, using SPSS version 27 and SmartPLS version 3, to evaluate the direct and indirect relationships between the constructs.
Results: Our findings revealed a significant positive association between self-silencing (M=95.44, SD=15.20) and divorce proneness (M=56.83, SD=12.77) (β=0.28, P<0.001), and significant negative associations between self-differentiation (M=180.61, SD=25.36) and both self-silencing (β=-0.37, P<0.001) and divorce proneness (β=-0.49, P<0.001). Self-differentiation significantly mediated the association between self-silencing and divorce proneness (β=0.18, P<0.001), with higher self-silencing linked to lower self-differentiation which, in turn, predicted increased divorce proneness.
Conclusions: The present study underscored the paramount importance of fostering self-differentiation as a vital protective factor against relational distress and the propensity for divorce, particularly when such challenges stem from self-silencing behaviors within marital contexts.

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