Suspicious minds: The psychological, physical and behavioral consequences of suspecting a partner’s infidelity

Summary & key facts

This survey study of 246 people found that simply suspecting a partner of cheating was linked with more distress, more depressive symptoms, more physical health problems, and more risky health behaviors. The link between suspicion and poorer well-being worked mostly through the distress people felt about the suspicion. The negative effects were bigger for people who value fidelity highly, who had a history of infidelity in the relationship, or who reported higher relationship satisfaction.

Key facts:

• The study used survey data from 246 individuals.
• People who suspected a partner of infidelity reported higher suspicion-related distress.
• Suspecting a partner was linked with higher reported depression.
• Suspecting a partner was linked with more physical health symptoms.
• Suspecting a partner was linked with more risky health behavior.
• Statistical tests showed that suspicion-related distress explained (mediated) the link between suspected infidelity and poorer well-being.
• The negative effects of suspected infidelity were stronger for people who place higher importance on fidelity.
• The negative effects were also stronger for people with a past instance of infidelity in the relationship and for people with higher relationship satisfaction.
• The study was guided by transactional stress theory and used cross-sectional survey data, so the results show associations but do not prove cause and effect.

Abstract

Guided by transactional stress theory, this study examined the psychological, physical, and behavioral consequences of the suspicion of a partner’s infidelity. Survey data collected from 246 individuals revealed that suspecting a partner’s infidelity was associated with greater reported suspicion-related distress, depression, physical health symptoms, and risky health behavior. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between suspected infidelity and well-being was indirectly affected by suspicion-related distress. The effects of suspected infidelity were particularly hard on those with higher beliefs in the importance of fidelity, a history of infidelity in the relationship, and higher relationship satisfaction. The findings show that the mere suspicion of a partner’s infidelity can have powerful psychological, physical, and behavioral consequences in romantic relationships.

Topics

Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior Personality Traits and Psychology

Categories

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Clinical psychology Distress Law Mediation Partner effects Political science Psychiatry Psychoanalysis Psychological distress Psychology Romance Social psychology Transactional leadership

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Anxiety or worry Sadness or low mood