Designing a Model of Marital infidelity in Neishabour City with Social Exclusion Approach

Abstract
Marital infidelity has emerged as a significant challenge in modern married life, leading to the unfortunate breakdown of numerous families. Despite its destructive impact, there remains a lack of comprehensive awareness and understanding surrounding this issue. Hence, the objective of this study was to develop a model for comprehending couple dissolution through the lens of social exclusion. To achieve this, a qualitative methodology known as grounded theory was adopted, allowing for the construction of a robust research model. Fifteen academic experts and family counselors were purposively selected as participants, representing the sample for this study. In-depth interviews were conducted as the primary method of data collection, continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. The findings of this research revealed a comprehensive model outlining the process of couple dissolution using the social exclusion approach. This model comprised six key components: causal factors, central phenomena, strategies, underlying factors, interfering factors, and consequences. Moreover, the results underscored the effectiveness of incorporating the theory of social exclusion in explaining and gaining deeper insights into the complex phenomenon of couple dissolution. By utilizing this theoretical framework, a more nuanced understanding of the various elements and intricacies surrounding marital infidelity can be achieved. Unfortunately, our society today is witnessing the rise of individuals who promote the culture of living a solitary life through their words and actions. Therefore, it is recommended that local and national institutions strive to create an environment that encourages greater family participation while purging the community from corruption and obscenities. This will make it easier and more appealing for families to engage and participate in society. Furthermore, municipalities can play a significant role by organizing cultural and social family programs, making a vivid impact.
Keywords: Marital Infidelity, Social Exclusion, Grounded Theory (Data Foundation).
 
1. Introduction
Infidelity in marital relationships refers to the breaking of vows and promises established through marriage, giving rise to emotional and sexual relationships outside the partnership. Therefore, if one spouse engages in sexual or even emotional relationships with someone other than their life partner, they have committed infidelity (Shoaa Kazemi and Momeni, 2013).
Preserving the family and its functions is essential for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals, families, and society. Naturally, marriage and family formation come with commitments, and deviating from those commitments or evading responsibilities leads to the deterioration of individual well-being and development. One of the factors that threatens marriage is infidelity and breach of trust.
Abnormal consequences of infidelity create various damages, despite the increasing frequency of infidelity as one of the most significant causes of divorce, which is associated with negative attitudes towards this issue, affecting individuals’ reputation and social status. The issue of infidelity within families and related cases, as well as the importance of this issue, have been emphasized by its recent prominence in divorce cases in the judiciary and social emergency departments. As a social worker, the researcher feels the necessity of investigating these damages and aims to provide an easy understanding of the concepts for the readers.
Research findings show that approximately 21 to 25 percent of men and 11 to 15 percent of women have committed infidelity at some point in their lives, and the tendency towards infidelity in different societies ranges from 20 to 25 percent (Allen et al., 2005: 72).
One of the most important psychological effects of marital infidelity is the erosion of trust and the emergence of mistrust. This leads to difficulties in trusting others and a loss of trust in one’s spouse. However, the range of identified psychological damages extends beyond these aspects (Sarmadi & Ahmadi, 2021: 60). Many family counselors lack a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to infidelity and its impact on individuals. This research aims to increase their knowledge and provide more precise guidance to clients. Additionally, the findings can open new avenues for university researchers to study marital infidelity.
 
2. Materials and Methods
This qualitative research employs a data-driven approach. In the qualitative phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with university professors and family counselors to design the research framework. Participants for the interviews were purposefully selected from those who had expertise and involvement in research and practice related to the research topic.
Fifteen experts in university and family counseling were interviewed, and the interview process continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Purposive sampling was utilized to select the interviewees.
 
3. Data
In this study, out of the conducted interviews, four interviews were selected as samples, with each interview being encoded twice by the researcher within a 20-day interval. The assigned codes for each interview were then compared individually.
Overall, this research employed qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews, purposive sampling, and comparative coding, to gather insights from experts in the field of family counseling and university professors. These findings support the aim of enhancing knowledge and guidance in understanding and addressing the phenomenon of infidelity.
 
4. Discussion
Infidelity among couples is a phenomenon with a distinct conceptual structure. Through interviews with experts, the concept of infidelity was explored, and their opinions on the matter were expressed. After analyzing the interviews, initial codes for spousal infidelity were identified, resulting in 17 initial codes. These codes were then categorized through axial coding into two main categories: emotional infidelity and sexual infidelity.
Reducing spousal infidelity is a significant concern addressed in this research. Interviewees were asked to provide strategies that could decrease spousal infidelity with an emphasis on social deprivation. Based on the extracted interview texts from the experts, 28 codes related to strategies for reducing spousal infidelity were identified. The findings revealed three main strategies: empowering families, facilitating effective family roles, and strengthening an Islamic-Iranian way of life.
The research model presented in this study consists of several components structured according to the paradigm model by Corbin and Strauss (1998). The model comprises six components: antecedents, central phenomenon, background factors, intervening factors, strategies, and consequences. The antecedents encompass various dimensions of social deprivation that may exist in couples’ lives, including material deprivation, social network deprivation, social participation deprivation, educational deprivation, and leisure deprivation.
The central phenomenon in this research is spousal infidelity, and the framework of social deprivation is utilized to gain further understanding, awareness, and reduction of infidelity. The research identifies two dimensions of infidelity: emotional and sexual. The next component of the model is strategies, which are proposed to reduce spousal infidelity based on the social deprivation approach. While other strategies could be identified using different approaches to overcome infidelity, this research specifically focuses on the three main strategies: empowering families, facilitating effective family roles, and strengthening an Islamic-Iranian way of life.
The arrangement and relationships of the model components are structured in accordance with the paradigm model. This research provides insights into the phenomenon of spousal infidelity and suggests strategies for its reduction based on the framework of social deprivation.
 
5. Conclusion
The phenomenon of infidelity in couples is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires awareness and understanding of its various aspects for better management and control. While there are numerous reasons for infidelity, this study adopts a social deprivation approach as a different perspective to this phenomenon. Infidelity can manifest at different levels, ranging from establishing emotional connections with someone other than a spouse to engaging in sexual relationships outside the marriage. While each of these levels constitutes a form of infidelity, their intensity varies and can have different consequences for the couple’s life.
This study identifies two types of infidelity based on expert opinions: emotional infidelity and sexual infidelity. The categorization presented in this research aligns with Samadi et al.’s perspective (2018) and also incorporates the views of Vowels et al. (2022) regarding infidelity and betrayal. The following sections provide a description of these two types of infidelity.
In conclusion, social deprivation has various forms within families and between spouses, and these deprivations can be significant factors in couples’ inclination towards infidelity. However, there are also multiple internal factors that should be taken into account. Ultimately, combating social deprivation can yield various results, all aimed at strengthening the commitment between spouses and fortifying the family institution.