The psychological mechanism underlying neuroticism on divorce proneness: The chain mediating roles of negative partner support and couple burnout and the moderating role of economic level

Mingfan Liu; Linran Li; Yubei Xiao; Xiumei Wang; Baojuan Ye; Xinqiang Wang; Fulei Geng

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.092

The psychological mechanism underlying neuroticism on divorce proneness: The chain mediating roles of negative partner support and couple burnout and the moderating role of economic level

J Affect Disord. 2023 Apr 14:327:279-284. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.092. Epub 2023 Jan 30.

Authors

Mingfan Liu¹, Linran Li², Yubei Xiao³, Xiumei Wang⁴, Baojuan Ye⁵, Xinqiang Wang⁵, Fulei Geng⁵

Affiliations

¹ Center of Mental Health Education and Research, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China; Department of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China. Electronic address: lmfxub@163.com.
² Department of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China.
³ SILC Business School, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201899, China.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China. Electronic address: lmfxub@sina.com.
⁵ Center of Mental Health Education and Research, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China; Department of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China.

PMID: 36720406
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.092

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have found that neuroticism is a significant predictor of divorce proneness. However, how neuroticism affects divorce proneness remains unclear. Based on the vulnerability-stress-adaptation (VSA) model of marriage, this study aimed to explore the psychological mechanism by which neuroticism affects divorce proneness.

Methods: A total of 752 Chinese heterosexual married individuals were surveyed by the Neurotic Subscale of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the Negative Subscale of the Dyadic Coping Inventory, the Couple Burnout Measure, the Divorce Proneness Scale, and the Personal Monthly Income Survey.

Results: (1) Negative partner support and couple burnout played chain mediating roles in the relationship between neuroticism and divorce proneness, which constructed a chain mediating model. (2) Economic level played a moderating role in the relationship between couple burnout and divorce proneness, which was the latter part of the chain mediating model.

Conclusions: Divorce proneness can be decreased by perfecting personality traits, reducing negative partner support and couple burnout, and improving the economic level.

Keywords: Couple burnout; Divorce proneness; Economic level; Negative partner support; Neuroticism.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Burnout, Professional* / psychology
Divorce* / psychology
Humans
Marriage / psychology
Neuroticism
Personality
Social Support