Objective: The present study aimed to develop and test a structural equation model (SEM) of marital satisfaction based on communication patterns, with self-compassion serving as a mediating variable.

Methods: This applied research employed a descriptive–correlational design, specifically using structural equation modeling. Data were collected from participants using three standardized instruments: the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Enrich, 1987), the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (Christensen & Salavy, 1984), and the Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2023). The AMOS software package was utilized to perform inferential statistical analyses and evaluate the proposed structural model.

Results: Findings demonstrated that the structural model of marital satisfaction based on communication patterns, mediated by self-compassion, achieved acceptable goodness-of-fit indices. The results support the mediating role of self-compassion in the association between communication patterns and marital satisfaction.

Conclusions: Overall, the proposed model showed adequate fit, indicating that self-compassion plays a meaningful mediating role in explaining how communication patterns influence marital satisfaction. These findings highlight the importance of fostering adaptive communication and enhancing self-compassion in couples to promote marital well-being.