Psychometric Validation of Trust, Commitment, and Satisfaction Scales to Measure Marital Relationship Quality among Newly Married Women in Nepal

Objectives: To validate scales measuring trust, commitment, and satisfaction as key components of marital relationship quality among newly married women in Nepal and assess their psychometric properties for use in South Asian research contexts. Design: Psychometric validation study using a two-wave approach with 6-month test-retest reliability assessment. Setting: Rural communities in Nawalparasi district, Terai region of Nepal. Participants: 200 newly married women aged 18-25 years, married within four months of baseline survey and co-residing with mother-in-law. 192 participants (96% retention) completed 6-month follow-up. Primary outcome measures: Factor structure, internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha), test-retest reliability (Pearson correlation), and criterion validity (correlation with relationship happiness) of trust (8 items), commitment (5 items), and satisfaction (7 items) scales. Results: Exploratory factor analysis (baseline, n=200) identified single-factor solutions for trust and commitment scales, and a two-factor model for satisfaction. Confirmatory factor analysis (6-month follow-up, n=192) confirmed single-factor models for trust and commitment, and a two-factor satisfaction model comprising marital conflict/dissatisfaction (4 items) and general satisfaction (2 items). All scales demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α: 0.79-0.96). Criterion validity was confirmed through significant correlations with relationship happiness (r=0.63-0.72, all p 0.001). Test-retest reliability showed moderate stability for commitment (r=0.51, p 0.001), lower stability for trust (r=0.41, p 0.001), and variable stability for satisfaction subscales. Conclusions: The validated scales demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties for measuring key marital relationship quality domains among newly married women in Nepal. These culturally-adapted instruments provide researchers with reliable tools for assessing relationship quality in South Asian contexts, enabling more robust research on how marital relationships influence health outcomes and supporting the development of evidence-based family interventions.