فاطمه کیامرزی

Objective: Marital instability affects couple relationships and family structure. Although widely studied, the roles of love schemas and relational maintenance strategies in predicting marital instability have received less attention. This study aimed to examine the role of relational maintenance strategies and love schemas in marital instability among working women. Methods: This study employed a descriptive-correlational research design. The statistical population included married women employed at health centers in Ahvaz. A total of 158 participants were selected through a multi-stage cluster random sampling method during the 2024–2025 years. The research instruments included: Marital Instability Index (Edwards et al., 1987), Relational Maintenance Strategy Measure (Stafford et al., 2000), Love Schema Scale (Singelis et al., 1995). Data analysis was conducted using the Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis with the use of SPSS27 software. Results: The findings showed that relationship maintenance strategies, including assurance and task sharing, were predictors of marital instability, while love schemas were not able to predict marital instability. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that relational maintenance strategies influence marital instability. These results support clinical and educational interventions in the field of couples therapy that emphasize the enhancement of practical and behavioral skills.