Psychological and Behavioral Mechanisms Underlying Marital Dysfunction: An Integrative Theoretical Review

Abstract

Marital dysfunction is a pervasive yet theoretically fragmented construct in relationship science. Although cognitive, attachment, behavioral, and systemic perspectives have identified numerous factors associated with relationship distress, these processes have often been examined separately, limiting the development of a coherent explanatory account. This integrative theoretical review synthesizes contemporary empirical evidence to develop a mechanism-based framework of marital dysfunction. It brings together psychological vulnerabilities, including maladaptive cognitive processing, emotion dysregulation, attachment insecurity, developmental adversity, personality characteristics, and psychopathology, with the behavioral processes through which these vulnerabilities shape couple interactions. Particular attention is given to communication, conflict regulation, reciprocal interaction, and behavioral dysregulation within couple and family systems. The review also critically examines areas of empirical convergence, methodological limitations, and priorities for future research. Overall, the evidence suggests that marital dysfunction is best understood as a dynamic, multilevel process in which psychological vulnerabilities, behavioral adaptation, and contextual stressors interact over time, rather than as the cumulative effect of isolated risk factors. By bringing these lines of evidence together, the review offers a coherent framework for understanding how relational difficulties emerge and are maintained and provides a basis for future research and process-oriented interventions across diverse sociocultural contexts.