PREDICTING PERSONAL AND RELATIONAL RECOVERY FROM INFIDELITY IN COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP: A MODERATED MEDIATION MODEL A DISSERTATION IN Counseling Psychology Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by G WEI NG M.A., University of Missouri – Kansas City, 2015 B.A., University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 2006 Kansas City, Missouri 2019 © 2019 G WEI NG ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PREDICTING PERSONAL AND RELATIONAL RECOVERY FROM INFIDELITY IN COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP: A MODERATED MEDIATION MODEL G Wei Ng, Candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree University of Missouri – Kansas City, 2019 ABSTRACT Infidelity can be damaging to committed relationships and is the most frequently cited cause of divorce (Austin Institute, 2014). Evidence suggests that couples can survive the trauma of infidelity, and that recovery is possible (Heintzelman, Murdock, Krycak, & Seay, 2014; Olson, Russell, Higgins-Kessler, & Miller, 2002); however, the recovery process following the disclosure of infidelity remains an under-studied area in the infidelity literature. The present study, informed by attachment theory, infidelity literature, and forgiveness research, used a moderated mediation model analyzing the contribution of attachment style, socio-cognitive correlates (i.e. rumination, attribution, and empathy), and perceived partner empathy to personal and relational recovery from infidelity among a sample of individuals who chose to remain in the relationship in which the infidelity occurred. Path analytic findings revealed that (a) the attachment anxiety – forgiveness link was partially mediated by rumination, but not attribution, whereas the attachment avoidance – forgiveness link was iii partially mediated by low empathy; (b) perceived partner empathy did not moderate the relation between attachment and rumination, attribution, and empathy; (c) perceived partner empathy, but not attachment anxiety, predicted lower non-benign attribution, and was directly or indirectly related to all four recovery outcomes; and (d) forgiveness was a significant second-order mediator in relationships between insecure attachment and other distal recovery outcomes including psychological distress, relationship satisfaction, and relational trust. Implications are discussed. iv APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the School of Education, have examined a thesis titled “Predicting Personal and Relational Recovery from Infidelity in Committed Relationship: A Moderated Mediation Model,” presented by G Wei Ng, candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, and hereby certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee Nancy L. Murdock, Ph.D., Committee Chair Division of Counseling & Educational Psychology Chrisanthia Brown, Ph.D. Division of Counseling & Educational Psychology Jacob M. Marszalek, Ph.D. Department of Psychology Kimberly J. Langrehr, Ph.D. Division of Counseling & Educational Psychology Kymberley K. Bennett, Ph.D. Department of Psychology v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT …........................................................................................................................iii LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………….....x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS……………………………………………………..…………..xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS …………………………………………………..………………xii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW…..……………………….....1 Infidelity …..………………………………..…………………………………5 Defining Recovery from Infidelity ……………………….……..…..10 Forgiveness as a Crucial Recovery Outcome Following Infidelity ....12 Forgiveness ………………………………………………………..………...13 Attachment and Healing from Infidelity: A Brief Overview ………………..15 Attachment Theory ………………………………………..………...15 Infidelity through the Lens of Attachment Theory ……………….....20 Attachment and Forgiveness …………………………..…………….22 Other Correlates of Forgiveness: The Sociocognitive Model of Interpersonal Forgiveness …………………..……………………………………...25 Empathy for the Offending Partner………………………..…………27 Rumination …………………………………..………………………29 Attribution …………………………..……………………………….29 Sociocognitive Correlates of Forgiveness as Mediators in the Attachment- Forgiveness Link …………………………………..………………...31 The Moderating Effect of Perceived Partner Empathy ……………………...35 Attachment, Forgiveness, and Other Recovery Outcomes …………..……...38 vi Relationship Satisfaction ……………………………………..……..38 Relational Trust ………………………………………..…………….40 Psychological Distress ……………………………..………………..41 Rationale and Significance of the Study………………………………..……42 Exploratory Analysis and Hypotheses ……………..………………..44 2. METHOD ………..…………………..………………………………………….47 Participant Characteristics……………………..………………………….....47 Measures ………………………………………..…………………………...50 Demographics ……………………………………..…………….......50 Attachment ………………………………………..…………………51 Rumination …………………………………………..………………52 Attribution …………………………………………..……………….53 Empathy for the Offending Partner…………………………..………57 Perceived Partner Empathy ………………………………..………...58 Forgiveness ………………………………..………………………...59 Psychological Distress ……………………………..………………..61 Relationship Satisfaction ……………………………..……………..62 Relational Trust ………………………………..………………….....64 Procedure ……………………………………………………..……………..65 3. DATA ANALYSIS …………………………………..………………………….68 Data Preparation ………………………………......……………………..…..68 Data Screening …………………………………………………..…..68 Preliminary Analyses ………………………………..…………...….69 vii Factor Analyses ……………………………..……………………….71 Missing Data ………………………..……………………………….73 Exploratory Analyses ……………………………………..…………………73 Test for First-Stage Moderated Mediation Using Path Modeling ……..……81 Model Estimation …………………………………………………....82 Alternate Model …………………………………………………..…85 4. DISCUSSION ……………………………………………………………..…...100 Attachment and Forgiveness …………………………………………….....101 The Mediating Roles of Rumination, Attribution, Empathy in the Attachment-Forgiveness Link ………………………..…………….102 Forgiveness as Outcome and Mediatory of Attachment Insecurity for Post-Affair Recovery ….…………………………………………...105 Psychological Distress as Indicator of Personal Recovery…………..……..106 Recovery at Relational Level ..…………………………………………..…108 The (Non-Significant) Moderating Role of Perceived Partner Empathy …..111 Perceived Partner Empath as A Significant Predictor of Attribution and Relational Outcomes …………………………………………..113 Clinical Implications …………………………………………………….....115 Limitations and Future Directions…………..……………………………...117 Conclusion …………………………………………..……………………..121 Appendix A. Demographic Questionnaire ……………..…..………………………………...122 B. The Experience in Close Relationships-Revised …..…………………………..124 C. Intrusiveness Subscale of the Impact of Event Scale ...………………………...126 D. The Relationship Attribution Measure……………………………………….....127 viii E. Affective Empathy Scale……………………………………………………….128 F. Empathic Understanding (E) Subscale of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory………………………………………………………….129 G. The Marital Offense-Specific Forgiveness Scale……………………………....130 H. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist – 21……………………………………...….131 I. The Dyadic AdJustment Scale………………………………………………….132 J. Trust Scale……………………………………………………………………...134 K. Solicitation Message (Internet Posting)…………………………………..…….136 L. Informed Consent…………………………………………………………….....137 M. Incentive Form……………………………………………………………….....139 REFERENCES .....................................................................................................................140 VITA …………………………………………………………………………………..…...155 ix LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Demographics …………………………………………………………………………..49 2. Structural Characteristics of Instruments ……………………………………………....72 3. Multiple Regression Analysis Predicting MOFS Scores ……………………………....74 4. Hierarchical Regression Analysis Predicting HSCL-21 Scores ……………………..…75 5. Hierarchical Regression Analysis Predicting DAS-DS Scores ……………………..….77 6. Hierarchical Regression Analysis Predicting Trust Scores ………………………….....79 7. Descriptive Statistics and Intercorrelations of the Variables in the Model ……..……...80 8. Model Fit Statistics for Comparative Path Models …………………………………….85 9. Parameter Estimates of the Final Path Model ……………………………………….....87 10. Bootstrap Analysis of Total Indirect Effects in Model ………………………………...91 x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Theoretical Model of Moderated Mediation Predicting Personal and Relational Recovery Outcomes ……………………..……………………………………………...4 2. Hypothesized Path Model ………………………………………..…………………....83 3. Final Path Model ………………………………………………………..……………..89 xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The pursuit of this Ph.D. dissertation would not have been possible without the support of many people. First and foremost, I would like to thank my faculty advisor, Dr. Nancy Murdock, who has provided me with an enormous amount of encouragement and guidance during this Journey. Thank you for not giving up on me after all these years! My deep gratitude also goes to members of my dissertation committee: Dr. Brown, Dr. Marszalek, Dr. Langrehr, and Dr. Bennett. I am thankful for your insightful and valuable comments on the dissertation at different stages. A special shout-our goes to Dr. Marszalek for always being willing to consult whenever I needed help with statistics! To all other UMKC faculty, my cohort, my research team, and other students in the program I got to know: I had a wonderful Journey at UMKC and feel honored to have worked with all of you in one form or another. You all have helped me get to where I am today and I am forever thankful for your support, mentorship and/or friendship!