Predicting Marital Adjustment Based on Ego Strength and Mentalization: The Mediating Role of Relationship Quality with the Spouse’s Family

Leila Aghabalazadeh Koljahi; Farideh  Hoseinsabet; Mahdi  Khanjani

Authors

Leila Aghabalazadeh Koljahi M.A. in General Psychology, Department of Psychology, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1859-1779
Farideh Hoseinsabet Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8164-5158
Mahdi Khanjani Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7810-7698

Keywords:

Marital Adjustment, Ego Strength, Mentalization, Spouse’s Family Relationship

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to predict marital adjustment based on ego strength and mentalization, with the mediating role of relationship quality with the spouse’s family.

Methods and Materials: This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population consisted of married couples residing in Tehran during 2025–2026. A sample of 370 participants was selected through convenience and voluntary sampling methods. The research instruments included the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976), the Psychosocial Ego Strength Inventory (Markstrom et al., 1997), the Mentalization Scale (Dimitrijević et al., 2017), and the Systemic–Triangular Family Scale (Cheraghi et al., 2017). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from .79 to .89. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the bootstrap method with 5,000 resamples, and SPSS/AMOS version 26.

Findings: Among the participants, 53.7% were female and 46.3% were male, with the majority aged 35–44 years. Most participants held a bachelor’s degree (63.3%), reported a moderate socioeconomic status (54.3%), and 71.9% had a history of counseling utilization. In addition, 63.3% had been married for more than 12 years. SEM findings demonstrated significant direct and indirect relationships. Ego strength had a positive direct effect on marital adjustment (β = .30, p < .001) and a significant indirect effect through relationship quality with the spouse’s family (β = .33, p < .001). Mentalization also showed significant direct (β = .14, p = .013) and indirect effects (β = .16, p = .003) on marital adjustment. Relationship quality with the spouse’s family significantly mediated the associations between both predictor variables and marital adjustment. Model fit indices indicated a satisfactory fit to the data (CFI = .98, GFI = .96, RMSEA = .07, χ²/df = 2.16).

Conclusion: Ego strength and mentalization play substantial roles in enhancing marital adjustment both directly and indirectly through improving relationship quality with the spouse’s family. Strengthening these psychological capacities may assist clinicians and family counselors in designing interventions aimed at promoting marital stability and reducing the risk of divorce.

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