Presenting Causal Model in Explaining the Relationship between Self-differentiation and Forgiveness with Marital Satisfaction based on the Mediating Role of Religious Orientation

Aim: The aim of this study was to explain the relationship between self-differentiation and forgiveness with marital satisfaction based on the mediating role of religious orientation. Methods: The research method was descriptive-correlational and the statistical population included all married teachers working in the sixth and seventh grade in Tehran's 6th educational district, with a total of 4,080 people, among whom 28 schools and 304 volunteer teachers were randomly selected. To collect research data, the following tools were used:  Differentiation of Self Inventory by Skowron, E. A., & Schmitt (2003), Family Forgiveness Scale by Pollard, Anderson, Anderson & Jennings (1998), Religious Orientation Questionnaire by Allport & Ross (1967), and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale by Fournier, Olson & Druckman (1983) were used. After deleting 10 distorted questionnaires and 3 outliers, structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Results: In this study, the direct path coefficient between internal religious orientation and marital satisfaction (P<0.01, β=0.337) was positive and significant at the 0.01 level. Indirect path coefficient between self-differentiation and marital satisfaction (β = 0.149, P <0.01) and indirect path coefficient between forgiveness and marital satisfaction (P <0.01, β = 0.129) were positive and significant at 0.01 level. Conclusion: Since internal religious orientation can be effective in improving relationships and marital satisfaction, it is suggested that in marital counseling, strengthening the religious beliefs of couples be used.