The Mediating Role of Psychosomatic Symptoms in the Relationship between Personality Characteristics and Marital Conflicts

Background: Personality characteristics can be used to predict a person's behavior in various life situations, including marriage. This study was conducted to investigate the mediating role of psychosomatic symptoms in the relationship between personality characteristics and marital conflicts. Methods: The present descriptive correlational study was performed on all conflicting couples referring to the counseling centers in Mashhad, Iran, in 2018. The sample included 200 conflicting couples referring to the thought and behavior counseling centers in Mashhad selected using convenience sampling method. Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor (16PF) Questionnaire, Takata and Sakata’s Psychosomatic Complaints Scale, and the Marital Conflict Questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis in SPSS and LISREL software. Results: The results showed that personality characteristics can be used to predict a person's behavior in various life situations including marriage, and that there was a significant relationship between personality characteristics and marital conflicts (P < 0.01). Conclusion: It can be concluded that psychosomatic symptoms have a mediating role in the relationship between personality characteristics and marital conflicts.