Validating the Remarriage Belief Inventory as a Dyadic Measure for Stepcouples

Abstract

Stepcouples remain a comparatively understudied group and few established measures specific to these couples exist. The Remarriage Belief Inventory assesses beliefs and attitudes relevant to couple dynamics in stepfamilies and has been validated using samples of individuals. An important next step in instrument development is the examination of the factorial structure for use with husband–wife dyads. Results from a dyadic confirmatory factor analysis using a sample of 631 stepcouples confirmed the structure of a final 21-item measure with seven subscales, with all but one subscale having adequate individual reliability. Within-couple correlations showed a strong relationship among many remarriage beliefs, yet they suggest that husbands and wives may be differentially influenced by partners’ beliefs. Within-individual correlations among subscales provide support for basic criterion validity. Implications and the future utility of this measure to examine dyadic processes in stepfamilies are discussed.