Introduction
A high-quality marriage lays the foundation for a flourishing and productive human society (Glasser, 2022, p. 38), and an effective and high-quality marriage is characterized by marital stability and satisfaction. Studies indicate that marital satisfaction is a variable that directly and indirectly impacts the quality of life and its dimensions (Kasapoglu & Yabanigul, 2018, p. 250). On the other hand, divorce leads to a decline in physical health, the emergence of psychological problems, and a decrease in the social and economic status of family members. Therefore, there is a pressing need to understand the factors that contribute to an effective marriage.
According to research, factors such as commitment, love and intimacy, healthy communication, respect, and conflict resolution have been identified as contributors to a successful marriage. Given that marriage is a culturally dependent phenomenon, it can be argued that the necessity of conducting research in this area is greater in Iran. This is because studies on stable and satisfying marriages are either limited or require further elaboration. Moreover, to develop culturally tailored programs addressing family issues, there is a need for research rooted in the specific culture of each society.
However, the main concern of the researchers in this study was the rising divorce rate in Khorasan Razavi province compared to other provinces in the country. This raised the question: how is it that, within a shared cultural context, some couples succumb to the challenges and crises of life, leading to divorce, while others emerge successful? Thus, we sought to uncover the answer through the lived experiences of couples. Accordingly, the objectives of this study are:

To identify the factors influencing an effective marriage.
To develop a paradigmatic model of effective marriage factors based on the cultural context.

 
Methods
This study employs a qualitative approach using the grounded theory method. The statistical population consists of all married couples in Mashhad in 2022 who had stable and satisfying marital lives. Purposeful sampling was used, and the sample size was determined based on data saturation. Data saturation was achieved after conducting individual interviews with 14 couples (28 participants). The collected data were analyzed immediately after the interviews, and the coding process was carried out in three stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Ultimately, by comparing and linking the extracted categories, a model for effective marriage was developed.
To ensure the validity and reliability of the collected data, Lincoln and Guba’s (1989) four credibility criteria were applied. To guarantee data credibility, the results of each interview analysis were presented to the participants for review to confirm accuracy or make necessary adjustments. To ensure confirmability, the researcher minimized the influence of personal assumptions during data collection. For dependability and adequacy, the coding and categorization processes were conducted in multiple sessions with the research team and in the presence of research methodology experts, reaching the required consensus. To enhance the generalizability of the findings, an effort was made to select participants from diverse social, cultural, economic, and geographical backgrounds, focusing on successful couples in varying contexts.
 
Findings
Following the interviews, confirmation of data saturation, and subsequent analysis and coding, a total of 225 open codes, 34 subcategories, and ultimately 4 main categories were identified, as presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Main and subcomponents from thematic analysis of the lived experiences of couples in effective marriages
This study aimed to deeply and qualitatively explore the features and experiences of stable and satisfying marriages while considering the role of culture in marital studies. The findings revealed that the contextual conditions of an effective marriage include factors such as a suitable marriage and positive individual traits, aligning with the findings of Atari et al. (2020) and Khodadadi-Sangdeh and Parhizkari (2023).
Based on the results of this study, the causal conditions for an effective marriage—events that predict or foster its occurrence and development—are the achievements of the marital relationship. These include commitment and trust, respect, honesty, fairness, consultation, forgiveness, love, appreciation, couple identity, intimacy, optimal sexual satisfaction, support, and cooperation. While all these factors have been corroborated in various studies, specific examples include the alignment of findings on commitment and forgiveness with Li et al. (2024), honesty with Kazim and Rafique (2021), love, intimacy, and effective communication with Beckett et al. (2023), sexual satisfaction with Vakili et al. (2024), and couple identity with Rahmati et al. (2020).
 
 
Facilitating factors for a successful marriage identified in this study include having children, supportive families of origin, protective attitudes, optimism, spirituality, maintaining familial connections, and favorable economic conditions. According to the study results, strategies employed by couples to achieve a successful marriage include developing skills such as mutual understanding, conflict management, healthy communication, relationship dynamism, and financial literacy. These findings align with those of Adler-Baeder et al. (2022) and Becotte et al. (2023). Overall, the study concludes that the outcomes of an effective marriage are a sense of happiness and satisfaction, feelings of security and peace, efficiency in life management, and effectiveness in parenting.