Relationship Dissolution Following Infidelity: The Roles of Attributions and Forgiveness

Although infidelity is a problem faced by many couples, some are able to recover from this trauma while others decide to terminate their relationship. This study investigates how attributions and forgiveness influence the likelihood of relationship dissolution following infidelity. Responses from 87 individuals who had experienced infidelity in a romantic, heterosexual relationship showed that forgiveness fully mediated the association between attributions and relationship termination. In addition, individuals who initiated breakup following a partner–s infidelity reported lower levels of forgiveness than those whose partners initiated the breakup. These findings are discussed in terms of interventions designed to help couples recovering from infidelity.