Parental Influence and Adult Marital Fidelity: A Case Study on Intergenerational Transmission of Relationship Behaviors

Shengran Zhang

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2024.25005

Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public MediaOpen access

Parental Influence and Adult Marital Fidelity: A Case Study on Intergenerational Transmission of Relationship Behaviors

Research Article

Open Access

Parental Influence and Adult Marital Fidelity: A Case Study on Intergenerational Transmission of Relationship Behaviors

Shengran Zhang ^1*

¹ Beijing Wuzhumiaoyou Sinology Culture Communication Co.Ltd.

^*Corresponding author: shengran.zh@gmail.com

Published on 11 July 2025

LNEP Vol.105

ISSN (Print): 2753-7056

ISSN (Online): 2753-7048

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-251-5

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-252-2

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Abstract

This qualitative case study explores the impact of a deviant mother and a non-deviant father on adult marital fidelity influenced by social norms. Focusing on a 50-year-old Han Chinese woman, this study applies Narrative Analysis, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, and the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) to the results of semi-structured interviews. The current case study exposes the complexity of linking parental behavior and adult relational outcomes. The father’s passive, non-deviant role provided moral grounding but inadequately counterbalanced the mother’s influence. Exposure to maternal infidelity led to emotional instability and fear of repeating deviant patterns. Surprisingly, PBI results indicated optimal parenting for both parents, contrasting with the participant’s emotional experiences and highlighting quantitative evaluations’ limitations in capturing intricate family dynamics. This study enriches attachment and social learning theories by demonstrating how different parental behaviors influence intimate relationships in adulthood. It underscores the need for nuanced theoretical frameworks accounting for complex family situations and gender dynamics in intergenerational transmission of relationship behaviors. Despite its single-case design, this research offers valuable insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying adult infidelity. It provides direction for future studies and therapeutic interventions, emphasizing the enduring impact of childhood experiences on adult relationships and the importance of considering multifaceted family influences in understanding relational patterns.

Keywords:

parenting styles, marital infidelity, deviant behavior, attachment theory, family dynamics.

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References

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References

[4]. Wilkinson, D. E., & Dunlop, W. L. (2020). Both sides of the story: Narratives of romantic infidelity. Personal Relationships, 28(1), 121–147. https: //doi.org/10.1111/pere.12355

[6]. Josselson, R., & Hammack, P. L. (2021). Essentials of Narrative Analysis. In American Psychological Association eBooks. https: //doi.org/10.1037/0000246-000

[7]. Smith, J. A., & Nizza, I. E. (2021). Essentials of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. In American Psychological Association eBooks. https: //doi.org/10.1037/0000259-000

[8]. Parker, G., Tupling, H., & Brown, L. B. (1979). A Parenting Bonding Instrument. British Journal of Medical Psychology. https: //doi.org/10.1111/i.2044-8341.1979.tb02487.x

Cite this article

Zhang,S. (2025). Parental Influence and Adult Marital Fidelity: A Case Study on Intergenerational Transmission of Relationship Behaviors. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,105,92-100.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Global Politics and Socio-Humanities

ISBN: 978-1-80590-251-5(Print) / 978-1-80590-252-2(Online)

Editor: Enrique Mallen

Conference website: https://2024.icgpsh.org/

Conference date: 20 December 2024

Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media

Volume number: Vol.105

ISSN: 2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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