Infidelity is surprisingly common, occurring in as many as 40% of marriages, and society holds a disproportionate disdain for the “other woman.” We’re quick to offer compassion and counseling to repentant husbands, yet providing similar support to “the mistress” remains taboo.

Research into the psychological impact on these women has been essentially nonexistent, until now. A new study published in peer-reviewed journal Psychological Thought offers a rare look at the “other side" of infidelity.

Paul DePompo, PsyD, ABPP, Director of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Institute of Southern California (CBTI) and co-author of the study discovered:

The majority of participants were unaware of their partner’s marital status at the beginning of the relationship, only to be blindsided later.They tend to have maladaptive attachment styles.They tend to suffer in silence.The impact of the affair has been likened to that of trauma.Most refrain from opening up to therapists, due to fear of judgment.

Tune in to learn about this groundbreaking study which helped identify factors that may be important in the navigation and recovery process for women in relationships with married partners, and provides mental health workers with empirically grounded and evidence-based methods to help their clients.