Predicting emotional divorce of couples based on family communication patterns and motivational structure

Emotional divorce is one of the most important traumas that the family faces and is the most important factor in family breakdown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of family communication patterns and motivational structure in predicting emotional divorce of couples. One hundred sixty-one married individuals (87 males and 74 females) participated in the study. Participants completed the Revised Communication Patterns Questionnaire (FCPQ-R), the Aspects Questionnaire (PCI) and the Emotional Divorce Scale (EDS). The results showed that emotional divorce was correlated negatively with adaptive motivational structure and communication pattern, but positively with non-adaptive motivational structure and conformity pattern. The results of regression analysis also showed that 45% of the variance of emotional divorce was explained by the motivational structure variables of family communication patterns. Based on the results, it can be stated that by providing the necessary training to improve family communication patterns and adaptive motivational structure of couples who have emotional divorce or are seeking divorce, emotional divorce can be reduced.