Online Infidelity and Relationship Satisfaction among Young Adults: Mediating Role of Jealousy and Psychological Distress

Abstract

The present research investigates the relationships between online infidelity, jealousy, psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction among young adults. The study emphasizes evaluating the association between online infidelity and relationship satisfaction in young people, with a particular emphasis on the mediating impact of jealousy subscales (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral) and psychological distress. The sample size was 430. The study was cross-sectional and used purposive sampling. Scales including the Social media infidelity-related behaviors, Multidimensional Jealousy Scale, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and Relationship Assessment Scale were utilized. The study hypothesized relationships among online infidelity, jealousy, psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction, proposing that jealousy and psychological distress mediate influence of online infidelity on relationship satisfaction. Results showed that online infidelity negatively correlates with relationship satisfaction, while jealousy and psychological distress positively correlate with it. Mediation analysis revealed that cognitive and emotional jealousy, along with psychological distress, significantly mediated the relationship, whereas behavioral jealousy had no effect. These findings offer insight into the importance of addressing emotional and psychological factors when navigating the effects of online behaviors over romantic relationships.