Psychological Adjustment in Married Women: The Predictive Contribution of Moral Disengagement and Alexithymia

Abstract

The emotional and cognitive-moral processes play a role in psychological adjustment in marriage. The current research question was to determine the predictive value of alexithymia and moral disengagement to psychological adaptation among married women. Cross-sectional correlational design was used and the sample involved was 200 married women between ages of 20-35 years. The participants were given the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (Urdu version), the Moral Disengagement Scale, and the Psychological Adjustment Scale. Pearson correlation tests showed that there were significant positive relationships between alexithymia, moral disengagement, and psychological maladjustment. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the joint effect of alexithymia and moral disengagement accounted 27.6% of the variation in psychological adjustment. Both variables were found to be high independent predictors among which alexithymia showed a relatively stronger predictor. The results indicate that deficit of emotional awareness and morally not involved pattern of thought are significant predictors of psychological maladjustment during a marital situation. The findings indicate the need to incorporate emotional regulation and moral self-regulating processes in explaining and enhancing psychological functioning among married women. Clinical intervention implications and future research implications are discussed.

Keywords: Psychological Adjustment, Alexithymia, Moral Disengagement, Married Women, Marital Functioning.