Introduction: Marriage, as the most fundamental social institution, plays a key role in mental, emotional, and social well-being, yet it consistently faces challenges. Marital forgiveness is a critical factor in maintaining and enhancing relationship quality. The present study aimed to investigate the predictive role of ego strength and positive psychological states on marital forgiveness among married students of the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
Methods: This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational design and was conducted on 288 married students selected through simple random sampling from a population of 1,150 students at Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch. Instruments included demographic questionnaires, as well as measures of marital forgiveness, positive psychological states, and ego strength. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, with Pearson correlation and multiple regression tests.
Results: The results indicated a significant positive relationship between ego strength and positive psychological states with marital forgiveness (P < 0.05). In the regression model, both variables were able to explain a significant proportion of the variance in forgiveness (P < 0.05), and the model's coefficient of determination was highly significant (P < 0.001). Overall, the main hypothesis of the study was confirmed (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Strengthening ego strength and positive psychological capacities in couples increases the level of forgiveness and improves the quality of marital relationships and family stability.