The Marital Comparison Level Index: A Measure for Assessing Outcomes Relative to Expectations

This paper presents the rationalefor and initialfindings concerning the development of the Marital Comparison Level Index. The necessity for the development of a new method for assessing the perception of marital relationships is predicated on the multitude of criticisms aimed specifically at the dependent measures used in the marital adjustment-satisfaction research. The MCLI is based upon the interpersonal processes highlighted by social exchange perspectives on the evaluations of relationships, with particular focus on comparative processes. Consequently, the MCLI provides a measure of the degree to which respondents feel that the outcomes derived from their relationships compare with their expectations for relationships and, hence,, their complaints about the relationship. Data collected on 301 married individuals suggest that the relational dimensions incorporated into the MCLI are perceived as important by married individuals and that the scale is both unidimensional and highly reliable. Evidence for the validity of the scale is also presented, since respondents who more positively evaluated their relationships on the MCLI were more likely to express a strong commitment to their relationships and view them as more equitable.