Journal
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Volume 38, Issue 3, Pages 865-887Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
DOI: 10.1177/0265407520975851
Keywords
Health; infidelity; stress; suspicion; well-being
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The suspicion of a partner's infidelity can result in greater psychological, physical, and behavioral issues, especially for individuals who prioritize fidelity, have a history of infidelity, and have higher relationship satisfaction.
Guided by transactional stress theory, this study examined the psychological, physical, and behavioral consequences of the suspicion of a partner's infidelity. Survey data collected from 246 individuals revealed that suspecting a partner's infidelity was associated with greater reported suspicion-related distress, depression, physical health symptoms, and risky health behavior. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between suspected infidelity and well-being was indirectly affected by suspicion-related distress. The effects of suspected infidelity were particularly hard on those with higher beliefs in the importance of fidelity, a history of infidelity in the relationship, and higher relationship satisfaction. The findings show that the mere suspicion of a partner's infidelity can have powerful psychological, physical, and behavioral consequences in romantic relationships.
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