Preliminary development of the Vietnamese Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS-VN): a pilot study using a Vietnamese intellectual sample

BackgroundThe objective of the present study was to develop a scale to measure marital satisfaction within a Vietnamese context (Vietnamese Marital Satisfaction Scale – MSS-VN). Due to the lack of in-depth studies in Vietnam on marital satisfaction, as well as a paucity of specialized Vietnamese context measurement tools in this field, the marital satisfaction dimensions of the MSS-VN were based on extant research literature and the social-cultural context of Vietnamese intellectual couples.Participants and procedureA group of 10 Vietnamese intellectuals (ages 28 to 43 years, five males/five females) were used to vet the MSS-VN questions during the question development phase of the study. The final version of the MSS-VN was administered to a convenience sample consisting of 144 male and 145 female Vietnamese intellectuals (age 22 to 50 years, M = 31.60, SD = 5.40). Analysis involved tests of reliability and validity (internal consistency, content validity, and convergent validity).ResultsThe results in the exploratory factor analysis of the MSS-VN indicated the maintenance of 33 items, distributed in five factors: emotional support, division of responsibilities and housework, child-rearing, decision making and financial management, and cohesion. The convergent validity showed rather strong correlation between the final scale solution and the sub-scale “dyadic satisfaction” from the Dyadic Adjustment Scale of Spanier.ConclusionsThe MSS-VN was considered satisfactory for the proposed intent of developing a measure of marital satisfac-tion within a Vietnamese context, with consistency for application in other studies on Vietnamese intellectual’s marital satisfaction; however, due to the limitation of the convenience sample, further evidence on the valida-tion of the MSS-VN is required.