mitigating

[Gershon]

Please, help to translate.

Word is used in the following sentence:
156 undergraduates perceived jealousy to increase when an unfaithful partner's interaction with interlopers was deliberate and without mitigationg excuses.

Thanks in advance

[YuriDDD]

смягчающие вину, уважительные

mitigating Mitigating circumstances or factors make a bad action, especially a crime, easier to understand and excuse, and may result in the person responsible being punished less severely.