A Process Model of Emotional Divorce in Marital Relationships: An Analysis Based on Islamic Sources

Document Type : Scientific-research article

Authors

1 Masters in Psychology. Qom, Iran

2 Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute, Qom, Iran

3 PhD in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute, Qom, Iran

Abstract

Emotional divorce is conceptualized as a state of marital disengagement characterized by the deterioration of affective bonds between spouses, wherein the relationship persists in form but lacks essential emotional intimacy and mutual affection. This research sought to elucidate a process-oriented model of emotional divorce within marital relationships, grounded exclusively in Islamic primary sources, and to identify its predisposing factors, core dimensions, and consequential outcomes. Employing a qualitative content analysis methodology, a purposive sample of Islamic textual sources—comprising 1,812 verses and narratives—was subjected to rigorous documentary analysis, resulting in 376 authenticated references. Data were analyzed through a systematic three-stage coding process: open, axial, and selective. Content validity of the identified constructs was quantitatively assessed via expert evaluation by nine specialists in family psychology and Islamic studies. The analysis yielded nine predisposing factors, six core components, and four primary consequences, all meeting robust content validity thresholds. Findings demonstrate that emotional divorce, from an Islamic perspective, constitutes a gradual, multidimensional process emerging from the complex interplay of premarital and postmarital determinants. The resultant model offers a theoretically and culturally informed foundation for the development of indigenous clinical interventions and preventive strategies aimed at mitigating relational deterioration and promoting marital well-being.

Keywords

Journal of Islamic Psychology
Volume 11, Issue 23
March 2026
Pages 45-68

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