The family life crisis is a highly challenging time for two individuals when they realize things are not going as planned, given their attitudes, expectations, stereotypes, limits, and life experiences. How eager partners are to talk and settle differences will determine if the crisis can be overcome. They must have a sense of emotional harmony, affection, and sympathy for one another.
The connection between the husband and wife gets worse when there is poor conflict management in marriage. Rivalry instead of compromise is one illustration of a bad conflict management strategy. Instead of attempting to solve the issue, each party starts to defend its position to prove it. Under the impact of their emotions, the couple starts using inappropriate techniques to settle their arguments, such as insulting and recalling unpleasant previous experiences. The prospect of a compromise is unthinkable under these circumstances. Therefore, choosing the appropriate method of dispute resolution is crucial for preserving a successful marriage.
237 persons who cheated on a partner were questioned on the causes of the infidelity (Scheeren et al., 2018). As it turns out, lack of affection, loneliness, insecurity, desire or physical attraction, discontent with the spouse and the relationship, revenge, rage, and other factors are the primary causes of cheating on a partner (Scheeren et al., 2018, pp. 380-383). Criticism, scorn, defensiveness, and stonewalling are the four horsemen of the apocalypse that can lead to relationship dissatisfaction. Conflicts result from excessive criticism and frequently get bigger. For example, if a man had previously been unhappy with how his wife cooked, he is now unhappy with how she manages the household. Contempt comes in many forms, including ridicule, sarcasm, and indications of ineptitude and worthlessness. Everyday exposure to this makes a person feel awful next to a spouse and breeds unhappiness and loneliness. Additionally, the partner will use the most straightforward defense – avoidance. People start to hunt for ways to be away from home and stay late at work. The concerned partner attempts to chat while the other keeps quiet. The partner could start looking for consolation in other people due to the overall dissatisfaction in the household, which is the cause of disloyalty.
Reference
Scheeren, P. A., Apellániz, I. A. M., & Wagner, A. (2018). Marital infidelity: The experience of men and women. Temas Em Psicologia, 26(1), 355–369. doi:10.9788/tp2018.1-14pt