The psychological mechanism underlying neuroticism on divorce proneness: The chain mediating roles of negative partner support and couple burnout and the moderating role of economic level

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have found that neuroticism is a significant predictor of divorce proneness. However, how neuroticism affects divorce proneness remains unclear. Based on the vulnerability-stress-adaptation (VSA) model of marriage, this study aimed to explore the psychological mechanism by which neuroticism affects divorce proneness.

Methods: A total of 752 Chinese heterosexual married individuals were surveyed by the Neurotic Subscale of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the Negative Subscale of the Dyadic Coping Inventory, the Couple Burnout Measure, the Divorce Proneness Scale, and the Personal Monthly Income Survey.

Results: (1) Negative partner support and couple burnout played chain mediating roles in the relationship between neuroticism and divorce proneness, which constructed a chain mediating model. (2) Economic level played a moderating role in the relationship between couple burnout and divorce proneness, which was the latter part of the chain mediating model.

Conclusions: Divorce proneness can be decreased by perfecting personality traits, reducing negative partner support and couple burnout, and improving the economic level.

Keywords: Couple burnout; Divorce proneness; Economic level; Negative partner support; Neuroticism.