Social Psychology Research

Abstract Introduction: Introduction: Marital intimacy is a multifaceted construct encompassing emotional, affective, and social dimensions, rooted in acceptance, satisfaction, and love. This study develops a structural model of marital intimacy based on distress tolerance and differentiation, examining the mediating role of the quality of relationships with in-laws among married women seeking counseling.  Method: Using a descriptive-correlational design and structural equation modeling, this study included 239 married women from counseling centers in Nourabad County, Lorestan Province. Participants completed the Differentiation of Self Inventory (Skowron & Smith, 1998), the Quality of Relationship with In-Laws Questionnaire (Cheraghi, 2014), the Marital Intimacy Scale (Thompson & Walker, 1983), and the Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons & Gaher, 2005). Data were analyzed using SPSS-22 and Smart PLS.  Results: Distress tolerance accounted for 17% and differentiation of self for 21% of the variance in marital intimacy. Additionally, distress tolerance indirectly explained 10% of marital intimacy through relationship quality with in-laws, while differentiation of self contributed 5%. Both constructs had significant direct, indirect, and total effects on marital intimacy (differentiation: β = 0.209, 0.110, 0.320; distress tolerance: β = 0.169, 0.167, 0.336; all p ≤ 0.05).  Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant roles of distress tolerance and differentiation in marital intimacy, with relationship quality with in-laws serving as a key mediator. Interventions aimed at enhancing these factors may improve marital intimacy in married women attending counseling centers.