Dyadic Measurement Invariance of the 10-Item Continuum of Conflict and Control Relationship Scale

Intimate partner violence (IPV) results in many adverse effects on physical, mental, and societal well-being. Research has highlighted the significance of implementing interventions that encourage effective communication and resolution of IPV within couples. Accurately identifying and distinguishing between different forms of IPV is crucial. To recognize different types of IPV, it is important to use reliable IPV screening tools and ensure that both partners share a common understanding of the constructs being assessed. Hence, examining measurement invariance (MI) within a dyadic framework is necessary to establish a reliable tool for screening IPV. The current study examined the dyadic MI of the 10-item Continuum of Conflict and Control Relationship Scale (CCC-RS-10). The CCC-RS-10 measures an individual's sense of physical and reactive aggression, psychological and controlling aggression, and relationship conflict. Utilizing a sample of 613 opposite-gendered couples, we tested MI using confirmatory factor analysis within a dyadic framework. The CCC-RS-10's three-factor model supported configurational, metric, scalar, and residual invariance. Men reported a higher mean of psychological and controlling aggression (d = 0.31) and a lower mean of relationship conflict (d = 0.23) than women. The functioning of the CCC-RS-10 and the meaning attributed to the conflict and control relationship were the same for both partners. Hence, the variation in the level of the CCC-RS-10 scale between dyad partners most likely reflects actual gender differences rather than the instrument measuring different constructs in the two groups. We discuss implications for practice and research.