Explaining the Causes of Women’s Tendency Toward Extramarital Relationships in Yazd: A Grounded Theory Study

Objective: This study aimed to explain the causes of women’s tendency toward extramarital relationships in Yazd using a qualitative grounded theory approach. Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using a grounded theory design. The study population included women aged 25 to 45 years living in Yazd who had experienced extramarital relationships or showed a tendency toward such relationships, as well as experts in family studies and Islamic psychology and relevant Islamic sources. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. The final sample consisted of 25 women and 7 experts. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews designed to explore personal, relational, psychological, cultural, and religious dimensions associated with women’s tendency toward extramarital relationships. Data analysis was conducted based on the Strauss and Corbin grounded theory strategy using MAXQDA 2020 software. Findings: The analytical findings showed that, after open coding, 280 initial codes were extracted from the interviews and textual data. These codes were organized into 42 subcategories and 14 main categories. Through axial and selective coding, the central category was identified as “tendency toward extramarital relationships as a way of redefining identity and responding to unmet needs.” This core category indicated that women’s tendency toward extramarital relationships was not shaped by a single factor, but rather emerged from the interaction of unmet emotional, psychological, relational, identity-related, and contextual needs. The grounded theory model suggested that extramarital tendency may function as a compensatory response to perceived deprivation, lack of recognition, emotional neglect, weakened marital intimacy, and the search for self-worth and identity reconstruction. Conclusion: The findings indicate that identifying the causes of women’s tendency toward extramarital relationships can enhance awareness among women, family specialists, counselors, and intervention providers. Understanding these causes may support the development of more effective preventive and therapeutic interventions in the field of marital and family relationships.