The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of love styles in the relationship between negative perfectionism and emotional divorce among married students at Semnan University. This research employed a descriptive-correlational design based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population included all married students at Semnan University during the 2024–2025 academic year. Using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method, a total of 263 participants were selected. Data were collected using the Gottman Emotional Divorce Scale (1994), the Hendrick Love Attitudes Scale (1986), and the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (1990). Data analysis was conducted using AMOS software and the bootstrap method.
The structural equation modeling results indicated that negative perfectionism was positively and significantly associated with emotional divorce (β = 0.291, p < 0.001), and negatively and significantly related to love styles (β = –0.319, p < 0.001). Additionally, love styles showed a significant negative relationship with emotional divorce (β = –0.448, p < 0.001). Moreover, love styles significantly mediated the relationship between negative perfectionism and emotional divorce (β = 0.14, p < 0.001). Model fit indices demonstrated that the proposed conceptual model had a satisfactory fit.
These findings underscore the critical role of cognitive and emotional components in marital relationships and highlight the need for training in adaptive love styles, particularly when addressing maladaptive personality traits such as negative perfectionism.