Mostafa Dehghani

Background: Marital stability is a concept in relationships and married life that indicates the strength and legal continuity of the marriage within the family (lack of separation or divorce) over time. Purpose: This study aimed to predict marital stability based on attachment styles, differentiation, and conflict resolution styles among normal and dysfunctional couples in Bushehr Province. Methodology: This correlational research is of a predictive type. A purposive and accessible sampling method was employed to choose 226 individuals (113 from normal couples and 113 from dysfunctional couples). Four questionnaires were used to gather data: the Marital Instability Index (MII) by Edwards, Johnson, and Allen Booth; the Attachment Styles Questionnaire by Collins and Reed (RAAS); the Short Form of the Differentiation of Self Inventory by Derick (DSI-SH); and the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II (ROCI-II). Data analysis was carried out using discriminant analysis with SPSS software. Findings: The findings showed that attachment styles (avoidant, anxious), differentiation, and conflict resolution styles (integrative, avoidant, dominating, compromising, and group membership obligation) significantly predict marital stability in both stable and unstable couples. Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, it can be concluded that there is a significant link between the factors of attachment styles (avoidant and anxious), differentiation, and conflict resolution styles with marital stability. This emphasizes the importance and effect of these factors in predicting marital stability. These findings can help counselors and psychologists provide effective interventions and essential training for individuals facing instability in their marriages.