Development and Validation of Quality of Mother and Daughter-in-Law’s Relationship Scale

Abstract

Aim: Conflict of mothers and daughters-in-law is a common issue, especially in Asian countries characterized by a collectivistic culture and a patrilineal society. The main purpose of this research was the development and validation of quality of mother and daughter-in-law’s relationship scale, including construct validity, convergent validity and internal consistency.

Methods: This was a correlational research. The research's statistical population included all students' mothers in city of Ahvaz. Two samples were used in this study. In the first sample, 411 subjects were selected for exploratory factor analysis; and in the second stage, a random sample of 211 subjects were selected as a multi-stage cluster sampling for confirmatory factor analysis. Subjects completed the Quality of Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-law Relationship Scale (QMDRS) and Miller Social Intimacy Scale (MSIS).

Results: The results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that this scale consists of four factors, including kindness and empathy, control, communication, and interference. The confirmatory factor analysis results confirmed the four-factor structure of this scale. Convergent validity of QMDRS is calculated by correlating it with the Miller Social Intimacy Scale. The correlation coefficient of mean in subjects in QMDRS was significant (0.20 to 0.46). According to Cronbach's alpha, the internal consistency of the QMDRS and four factors kindness and empathy, control, communication, and interference was 0.68, 0.62, 0.72, 0.78, and 0.90.

Conclusion: According to the results the Quality of Mother and Daughter-in-law’s Relationship Scale (QMDRS) has sufficient validity and reliability in Iranian families.