Conceptualizing Injured Partners’ Relational Uncertainty Following Marital Infidelity: A Relational Turbulence Theory Perspective

The current research utilizes relational turbulence theory (RTT) to examine the associations between relational uncertainty and the cognitive, emotional, and communicative responses of injured partners who had recently experienced marital infidelity. Individuals in marital relationships who experienced partner infidelity in the past year and had not terminated their relationship were recruited to complete an online survey (N = 305). Results from structural equation modeling indicated that injured partners’ commitment and growth belief were negatively associated with self uncertainty and commitment was positively associated with relationship uncertainty. Self, partner, and relationship uncertainty corresponded with cognitive, emotional, and communicative responses to infidelity in different ways. Additionally, perceptions of infidelity severity and distributive communication contributed to injured partners’ experience of relational turbulence. The research has theoretical implications for applying RTT to the context of marital infidelity and practical implications for targeted support for individuals navigating infidelity.