Validation of Romantic Partner Conflict Scale (RPCS) in Pakistani married couples: Establishing measurement invariance

Abstract

The present study aimed to translate and validate the Romantic Partner Conflict Scale (RPCS) in Pakistani Married Couples. Forward-Backward Method was applied for translations into Urdu to establish conceptual equivalence and cultural relevance. A sample of 300 married couples was collected for construct validation of RPCS established through Confirmatory Factor Analysis with SEM with the confirmed factors of Compromise, Domination, Submission, Separation, Avoidance, and Interactional Reactivity (total of 37 items, 2 items were deleted). All subscales showed good internal consistency and composite reliabilities. Moreover, testing for measurement invariances across husbands and wives further confirmed the factor structure for dimensions of RPCS. Finally, further associations revealed that constructive conflict strategies of Compromise and Avoidance were positively associated with positive relational variables such as internal marital locus of control, constructive communication, marital quality, and intimacy, but were negatively correlated with demand-withdraw patterns, associations for destructive conflict strategies of Interactional Reactivity and Domination with these relational variables were revealed contrary to the constructive strategies. The present study revealed Separation and Submission as mixed strategies as they were positively associated with majority of positive and negative relational variables. Additional findings in case of demographic variables and implications for future research are discussed.