Social Psychology Research

Abstract Introduction: Investigating the factors that influence flourishing in marital life is crucial for reducing family problems, enhancing wellbeing, and improving positive functioning among couples. This study aimed to examine the relationship between teamwork skills, empathy, and self-control with couples’ flourishing, considering the mediating role of we-ness. Method: The statistical population consisted of married men and women aged 25 to 50 in Kashan, Iran, in 2024. A sample of 356 participants was selected using convenience sampling. Participants completed the Flourishing Scale (Butler & Kern, 2016), the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (2009), the Teamwork Skills Scale (Romero, 2022), the Self-Control Scale (Tangney et al., 2004), and the Weness Scale (TopcuUzer et al., 2021). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Amos24. Results: SEM results indicated that the proposed model had a good fit with the data. Empathy (β = 0.280, p ≤ 0.001), self-control (β = 0.140, p ≤ 0.001), and teamwork (β = 0.269, p ≤ 0.001) directly predicted flourishing. Furthermore, weness significantly mediated the relationships of both empathy (β = 0.128, p ≤ 0.01) and teamwork (β = 0.131, p ≤ 0.01) with flourishing. However, the indirect effect of self-control on flourishing through weness was not significant. Conclusion: Based on these findings, counselors and couple therapists can strengthen teamwork skills and empathy to enhance couples’ sense of we-ness and shared identity, thereby supporting greater flourishing in their relationships.