The Structural Association between Perceived Stress, Dyadic Coping, Relationship Commitment, and Marital Resilience

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the structural association between perceived stress, dyadic coping, relationship commitment, and marital resilience among married individuals in Baku, with particular emphasis on the direct and indirect pathways through which perceived stress influences marital resilience. This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study population consisted of married individuals residing in Baku, Azerbaijan, during the 2025–2026 period. A total of 624 participants were selected through community-based and convenience sampling methods. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI), Commitment Inventory, and Marital Resilience Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analyses, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were performed using SPSS version 29 and AMOS version 29. Model fit was evaluated using multiple fit indices, including χ²/df, CFI, TLI, GFI, SRMR, and RMSEA. Indirect effects were tested using bootstrap procedures with 5,000 resamples and 95% confidence intervals. The proposed structural model demonstrated excellent fit to the data (χ²/df = 2.31, CFI = .958, TLI = .952, GFI = .941, SRMR = .041, RMSEA = .046). Perceived stress had significant negative direct effects on dyadic coping (β = -0.58, p < .001), relationship commitment (β = -0.21, p < .001), and marital resilience (β = -0.29, p < .001). Dyadic coping exerted significant positive effects on relationship commitment (β = 0.56, p < .001) and marital resilience (β = 0.41, p < .001). Relationship commitment also positively predicted marital resilience (β = 0.37, p < .001). Bootstrap analyses revealed significant indirect effects of perceived stress on marital resilience through dyadic coping (β = -0.24, p < .001), relationship commitment (β = -0.08, p < .001), and the sequential pathway involving dyadic coping and relationship commitment (β = -0.12, p < .001). The model explained 34% of the variance in dyadic coping, 46% of the variance in relationship commitment, and 71% of the variance in marital resilience. The findings indicate that perceived stress undermines marital resilience both directly and indirectly by weakening dyadic coping and relationship commitment. Dyadic coping emerged as a central protective factor that strengthens commitment and enhances resilience within marriage. These results highlight the importance of collaborative coping processes and relational dedication in fostering adaptive functioning among couples and suggest that interventions targeting stress management, dyadic coping, and commitment may contribute substantially to the promotion of marital resilience.