Individual Psychological Factors Associated with Marital Adjustment: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Marital adjustment is a fundamental psychological process that contributes to relationship stability, marital satisfaction, and divorce prevention. Although numerous studies have identified factors associated with marital adjustment, evidence regarding individual psychological determinants remains fragmented and lacks comprehensive synthesis. This study aimed to synthesize empirical evidence on individual factors influencing marital adjustment. A systematic review was conducted following Kitchenham’s guidelines, the PRISMA reporting framework, and the SPIDER approach for formulating the research question. Literature was retrieved from the Scopus and Google Scholar databases, covering publications from 2016 to 2025. Of the 350 records identified, 17 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The synthesis identified four major categories of individual factors influencing marital adjustment: personality traits and intrapersonal regulation, psychological well-being, emotional competence, and individual life circumstances. Personality characteristics and self-regulation emerged as the most consistent predictors of marital adjustment. These findings demonstrate that marital adjustment is a multidimensional construct shaped by the interaction of various individual psychological resources and provide an evidence-based foundation for developing psychological interventions, premarital education, and marital counseling programs.

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