Marital Adjustment in Medical-Science Students: Roles of Self-Differentiation and Alexithymia

Abstract Introduction: This article examines the intersection between psychological constructs—self-differentiation and alexithymia—and communicative competence in marital adjustment, reframing the discussion within applied linguistics. Marital relationships rely heavily on effective communication, which in turn depends on emotional awareness, regulation, and linguistic expression. Materials and Methods: Drawing on a sample of 130 Married Medical Science Students at the University of Tehran, this study investigates how emotional variables influence communicative patterns that sustain or hinder marital adjustment. Results: Findings revealed that self-differentiation positively predicts marital adjustment, while alexithymia negatively predicts it, together explaining 64% of the variance. These results are discussed in light of applied linguistics theories of discourse, intercultural pragmatics, and language pedagogy. Conclusion: The study contributes to an interdisciplinary understanding of how emotional and psychological constructs interact with communicative competence in relational and linguis Book Antiqua tic contexts. Keywords: Self-differentiation, Alexithymia, Marital adjustment, Communication, Applied linguistics