Examination of the mediator role of mindfulness in the relationship between forgiveness, marriage role expectations and marital harmony

The aim of the current study is to examine the mediating role of mindfulness in the relation between marriage role expectations, forgiveness and marital adjustment of individuals aged 18-50 years who have been married for at least 1 year. The sample of the study consist of 480 participants, 311 women (67.5%) and 150 men (32.5%) between the ages of 18-50, who have been married for at least 1 year in Turkey. The research is a quantitative study designed in relational screening model which aims to examine the relations between variables with mediation analysis. Personal Information Form prepared by the researcher, Marriage Role Expectations Scale, Forgiveness Scale, Couple Adjustment Scale-Revised and Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) were used as data collection tools. In order to test the study data, descriptive statistics methods, Pearson Correlation Analysis, Independent Samples T-Test, One-Way ANOVA and Hayes Process Mediation Analysis were carried out. According to the findings obtained from the study, while egalitarian marriage role expectations were found to be positively correlated with marital adjustment and mindfulness; traditional marriage role expectations were found to be negatively correlated with mindfulness. It was determined that traditional marriage role expectations only had a positive relationship with nonreactivity to inner experiences subdimension. It has been determined that there is a positive and significant relationship between forgiveness and marital adjustment. It has been determined that the sub-dimensions of marital role expectations and mindfulness differ according to gender. It has been concluded that marriage role expectations differ according to family type and marriage style. While there was a negative significant relationship between age, age difference with spouse, number of children and time spent in marriage, and marital adjustment; A positive relationship was determined with the income level, the education level of the individual and his/her spouse. As a result of the mediating variable analysis, it is seen that the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between traditional marriage role expectation and marital adjustment is statistically significant in the negative direction. However, the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between egalitarian marriage role expectations and marital adjustment was found to be statistically significant in the positive direction. In addition, no mediating role of mindfulness was found in the relationship between forgiveness and marital adjustment. Finally, the findings of the study were discussed in the light of the literature and suggestions were made for future studies at the end of the study. Keywords Marital Adjustment, Marriage Role Expectations, Mindfulness, Forgiveness