International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186
An Appraisal of The Marital Satisfaction Inventory: A Psychometric Process
Kyeremeh Tawiah Dabone (PhD)1*, Prof. Joseph Kwesi Essuman (PhD)1, and Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson (PhD)2
1Counselling Centre, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
2University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya, Ghana
Abstract: The Marital Satisfaction Inventory is a standardised instrument which has been used in estimating the satisfaction levels of married people in their marriages mostly in Ghana. This study sought to further validate Marital Satisfaction Inventory (MSI). The inventory has 35 items in all and categorised into two sections sub-categorised into seven scales. The multi-stage sampling procedure was used in selecting 210 married people in the Berekum municipality to participate in the study. The method used in validating the instrument included translational validity (content validity and face validity), construct validity (factor analysis) and reliability by internal consistency approach. The results using the revealed that principal component analysis with varimax rotation put the items under six factors instead of seven. The reliability coefficient was found to be 0.94 alpha level. In all, the instrument was found to have good psychometric properties.
I.INTRODUCTION
According to Cherlin (2012), marriage is seen as a universal activity where two individuals from different backgrounds, with different interests and with different character traits decide to live together. In most cases, the reason cited for marriage is love. Aside love, other reasons given for marriage, include feelings of belongingness, affection, compatibility, desire, and closeness and tenderness. Over the years people have withdrawn from their marriages and yet there are others who want to withdraw. Mostly when people are asked why they have left their marriages or want to leave, the excuse they give is that they are not satisfied in their marriages.
White (2019) defines marriage as an institution that is legally and socially sanctioned and that is defined by the rules of law as well as by the customs and beliefs of the people who live in it (if any). Marriage is also a long-term commitment that limits one’s tendency toward self-indulgence, gratification, and self-centeredness. Couples can better prepare and condition themselves for the community in this relationship. Marriage serves as a foundation for social order by reining in selfishness and promoting love for one another (Feder, 2017). Couples are happy when their expectations for their marriage are met, which is the case for most unions. A couple’s dissatisfaction occurs when these expectations are not met; moreover, couples who are unhappy in their marriages face a number of detrimental consequences. Abuse can be both physical and emotional for some couples. This has a negative impact on their overall well-being and productivity.