Rasch analysis and differential item functioning of the marital happiness scale in Oman

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Marital happiness is crucial in Oman's Muslim society, with rising divorce rates necessitating accurate measurement tools.
• Existing instruments for measuring marital happiness lack reliability and validity, particularly those based on item response theory.
• There is a need for a psychometrically sound scale to assess marital happiness among Omani couples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a marital happiness scale for Omani spouses.
• To apply the Rasch rating scale model for scale construction and validation.
• To examine the psychometric properties of the developed scale in the Omani context.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from a nationally representative sample of Omani couples.
• Employed the Rasch rating scale model and Winsteps software for analysis.
• Assessed unidimensionality, rating scale functioning, item fit, reliability, and differential item functioning (DIF).

Main Results:

• Marital happiness was confirmed as a single unidimensional construct.
• The developed scale demonstrated adequate psychometric properties for use in Oman.
• Differential item functioning (DIF) was observed for specific items across genders.

Conclusions:

• The newly developed marital happiness scale is a valid and reliable instrument for Omani couples.
• Further research should focus on cross-cultural validation and qualitative refinement of DIF items.
• The scale provides a valuable tool for understanding marital dynamics in Oman.