The Association Between Differentiation of Self and Subjective Well-being in Female University Students: The Mediating Role of Marital Satisfaction

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Psychology, Ahv.C., Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

10.30476/whb.2026.106489.1348

Abstract

Background: Self-differentiation and marital contentment emerge as key predictors of subjective well-being, especially among female university students. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating effect of marital satisfaction on the link between self-differentiation and subjective well-being in female university students.
Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, a convenience sample of 473 married female students from Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, Rasht, Iran were recruited to participate in the study in 2023. For data collection, Subjective Well- Being Scale (SWS), Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI), and Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS) were used. For data analysis, Pearson correlation and bootstrapping were used in SPSS version 26 and Amos version 26, to investigate the link between the variables of the study and mediation significance, respectively.
Results: A notable positive direct association between self-differentiation and subjective well-being (β=0.23, P=0.002) was found. Self-differentiation also demonstrated a significant positive indirect effect on subjective well-being through marital satisfaction (β=0.08, P=0.006). Marital satisfaction showed a robust positive direct association with subjective well-being (β=0.32, P<0.001).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that differentiation of self directly and positively predicts subjective well-being in married female university students, while also exerting a significant indirect effect through marital satisfaction. Enhancing selfdifferentiation can therefore improve marital quality and overall life satisfaction, with important implications for counseling and support programs in higher education settings.

Highlights

Elahe Nadi: (Google Scholar)

Saeed Bakhtiarpour: (Google Scholar)

 

How to Cite: Nadi E, Bakhtiarpour S, Makvandi B, Asgari P. The Association Between Differentiation of Self and Subjective Well-being in Female University Students: The Mediating Role of Marital Satisfaction. Women. Health. Bull. 2026;13(1):65-73. doi: 10.30476/whb.2026.106489.1348.

Keywords

References

  1. Zollars I, Poirier TI, Pailden J. Effects of mindfulness meditation on mindfulness, mental well-being, and perceived stress. Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 2019;11(10):1022-1028. doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2019.06.005. PubMed PMID: 31685171. ##
  2. Paredes MR, Apaolaza V, Fernandez-Robin C, Hartmann P, Yañez-Martinez D. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on subjective mental well-being: The interplay of perceived threat, future anxiety and resilience. Pers Individ Dif. 2021;170:110455. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110455. PubMed PMID: 33071413; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7552984. ##
  3. Coelhoso CC, Tobo PR, Lacerda SS, Lima AH, Barrichello CRC, Amaro Jr E, et al. A New Mental Health Mobile App for Well-Being and Stress Reduction in Working Women: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2019;21(11):e14269. doi: 10.2196/14269. PubMed PMID: 31697244; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6873146. ##
  4. Shannon S, Breslin G, Prentice G, Leavey G. Testing the factor structure of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale in adolescents: A bi-factor modelling methodology. Psychiatry Res. 2020;293:113393. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113393. PubMed PMID: 32835928. ##
  5. Liu Y, Li L, Miao G, Yang X, Wu Y, Xu Y, et al. Relationship between Children's Intergenerational Emotional Support and Subjective Well-Being among Middle-Aged and Elderly People in China: The Mediation Role of the Sense of Social Fairness. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;19(1):389. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010389. PubMed PMID: 35010647; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8751110. ##
  6. Das KV, Jones-Harrell C, Fan Y, Ramaswami A, Orlove B, Botchwey N. Understanding subjective well-being: perspectives from psychology and public health. Public Health Rev. 2020;41(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s40985-020-00142-5. PubMed PMID: 33292677; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7678314. ##
  7. Hocaoğlu FB, Işık The role of self-construal in the associations between differentiation of self and subjective well-being in emerging adults. Current Psychology. 2023;42(17):14635-46. doi: 10.1007/s12144-021-02527-4. ##
  8. Abdi Zarrin S, Nikkhah Siruei Psychological well-being: the role of self-differentiation, Alexithymia and ego-strength. Shenakht Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry. 2021;8(3):13-24. doi: 10.32598/shenakht.8.3.13. Persian. ##
  9. Amirahmadi T, Jayervand H, Hooman F, Homaei R. The Correlation between Self-Differentiation and Emotional Experiences toward the Spouse with the Probability of Divorce among Married Female Students. Women Health Bull. 2025;12(2):101-108. doi: 10.30476/whb.2025.104101.1313. ##
  10. Tarkhan M. Predicting of Psychological Well-Being through Defence Mechanisms and Cognitive Self-Differentiation in Students. Social Cognition. 2018;7(2):145-185. doi: 10.30473/sc.2018.9896.1401. Persian. ##
  11. Rusu PP, Nussbeck FW, Leuchtmann L, Bodenmann G. Stress, dyadic coping, and relationship satisfaction: A longitudinal study disentangling timely stable from yearly fluctuations. PLoS One. 2020;15(4):e0231133. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231133. PubMed PMID: 32271854; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7145192. ##
  12. Azhdari A, Zarei E, Mohammadi K. An Assessment of the Correlations between Marital Adjustment and Marital Satisfaction based on Light Triad Traits and Quality of Life in Women. Women Health Bull. 2024;11(1):64-74. doi: 10.30476/whb.2024.101717.1270. ##
  13. Abreu-Afonso J, Ramos MM, Queiroz-Garcia I, Leal I. How Couple's Relationship Lasts Over Time? A Model for Marital Satisfaction. Psychol Rep. 2022;125(3):1601-1627. doi: 10.1177/00332941211000651. PubMed PMID: 33736540; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9136471. ##
  14. Nikrahan GR. Theory of brain complexity and marital behaviors: The application of complexity science and neuroscience to explain the complexities of marital behaviors. Front Hum Neurosci. 2023;17:1050164. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1050164. PubMed PMID: 36959907; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10027753. ##
  15. Shenaar-Golan V, Lans Measuring Differentiation of Self to Evaluate Subjective Well-Being in Women Who are Childfree by Choice. The Family Journal. 2023;31(2):278-87. doi: 10.1177/10664807221123552. ##
  16. Anderson S, Beaman LG, Platteau JP. Towards gender equity in development. 1st ed. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press; 2018. doi: 10.1093/oso/9780198829591.001.0001. ##
  17. Lee E, Kim SI, Jung-Choi K, Kong KA. Household decision-making and the mental well-being of marriage-based immigrant women in South Korea. PLoS One. 2022;17(2):e0263642. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263642. PubMed PMID: 35192668; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8863252. ##
  18. Wolf EJ, Harrington KM, Clark SL, Miller MW. Sample Size Requirements for Structural Equation Models: An Evaluation of Power, Bias, and Solution Propriety. Educ Psychol Meas. 2013;76(6):913-934. doi: 10.1177/0013164413495237. PubMed PMID: 25705052; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4334479. ##
  19. Keyes CLM, Magyar-Moe JL. The measurement and utility of adult subjective well-being. Positive psychological assessment: A handbook of models and measures. American Psychol Associat. 2003;1:411-25. doi: 10.1037/10612-026. ##
  20. Ebrahimi L, Rostami Y, Mohamadlou M. The Mediating Role of Internalizing Problems on the Relationship between Emotional Well-being and Externalizing Problems of Divorced Women in Zanjan. Prev Care Nurs Midwifery J. 2019;9(3):10-20. doi: 10.52547/pcnm.9.3.10. ##
  21. Skowron E, Friedlander M. The Differentiation of Self Inventory: Development and Initial Validation. J Counsel Psychol. 2009;56:597-8. ##
  22. Ghavibazou E, Abdollahi A, Hosseinian S. Validity of the Persian translation of the differentiation of self inventory (DSI) among Iranian adults. Heliyon. 2022;8(7):e09834. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09834. PubMed PMID: 35815155; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9260298. ##
  23. Olson DH, Fournier DG, Druckman JM. Counselor's manual for Prepare//Enrich (Rev. ed). Minneapolis, MN: PREPARE/ENRICH; 1987. ##
  24. Arab Alidousti A, Nakhaee N, Khanjani N. Reliability and Validity of the Persian versions of the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction (Brief version) and Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scales. Health and Development Journal. 2015;4(2):158-167. Persian. ##
  25. Mohammadi M, Alibakhshi Z, Sedighi M. The effect of Self-differentiation Training Based on Bowen Theory on Women's Self-differentiation and Marital Satisfaction. Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health. 2019;7(4):1914-1921. doi: 10.22038/jmrh.2019.36432.1398. ##
  26. Işık E, Şerife Ö, L. S-CM, Rodríguez-González M. Differentiation of Self Predicts Life Satisfaction through Marital Adjustment. The American Journal of Family Therapy. 2020;48(3):235-249. doi: 10.1080/01926187.2020.1732248. ##
  27. Calatrava M, Martins MV, Schweer-Collins M, Duch-Ceballos C, Rodríguez-González M. Differentiation of self: A scoping review of Bowen Family Systems Theory's core construct. Clin Psychol Rev. 2022;91:102101. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102101. PubMed PMID: 34823190. ##
  28. Ansari Ardali L, Makvandi B, Asgari P, Heidari A. The relationship between spiritual intelligence and marital satisfaction with psychological well-being in mothers with special-needs children. Caspian J Pediatr. 2019;5(2):364-9. doi: 10.22088/CJP.BUMS.5.2.364. ##
  29. Bırni G, Eryılmaz Enhancing Well-being of the Married: Investigating Marital Satisfaction, Self-Compassion and Happiness Increasing Strategies. Turkish Psychological Counseling and Guidance Journal. 2022;12(67):650-669. doi: 10.17066/tpdrd.12061408. ##
  30. Mäki M, Hägglund AE, Rotkirch A, Kulathinal S, Myrskylä M. Stable Marital Histories Predict Happiness and Health Across Educational Groups. Eur J Popul. 2025;41(1):12. doi: 10.1007/s10680-025-09733-x. PubMed PMID: 40358790; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12075088. ##

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics