Dimensional Latent Structure of Relationship Quality: Results of Three Representative Population Samples

• Date: 01 October 2015
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12211
• Author: Kurt Hahlweg,Elmar Brähler,Heather M. Foran,Yve Stöbel‐Richter,Johannes Beller,Sören Kliem
• Published date: 01 October 2015

S K Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony

H M. F, J B,  K H Technical University of

Braunschweig∗

Y S-R University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz∗∗

E B University of Leipzig and Clinic and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz∗∗∗

Dimensional Latent Structure of Relationship

Quality: Results of Three Representative Population

Samples

A fundamental question facing every latent

construct (e.g., relationship quality) is whether

the construct is categorical or dimensional in

nature. The authors analyzed the latent status

of relationship quality in 3 large general Ger-

man population samples using the Partnership

Questionnaire (PFB), the Quality of Relation-

ship Inventory, and the short form of the PFB

(PFB-K; N1=1,330, N2=1,494, N3=1,390).

Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony,

Lützerodestraße 9, 30161 Hannover, Germany

(soeren.kliem@kfn.de).

∗Technical Universityof Braunschweig, Institute of

Psychology, Humboldtstraße 33, 38106 Braunschweig,

Germany.

∗∗University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz,

Department of Health Sciences, Furtstraße 3, 02826

Görlitz, Germany.

∗∗∗University of Leipzig, Department of Medical

Psychology and Medical Sociology and Clinic and

Policlinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy,

University Medical Center, Johannes GutenbergUniversity

Mainz, Ph.-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.

This article was edited by Robert Crosnoe.

Key Words: cross-cultural issues, divorce, marriage, meth-

ods, relationships.

They applied 3 widely used taxometric methods:

(a) MAXEIG, (b) MAMBAC, and (c) L-Mode.

Simulation data were created to evaluate the

comparison curve t index values, which were

below 0.5 across the 3 German population

samples, supporting a dimensional solution.

Hence, in the current study the latent structure

of relationship quality encompassed differences

in degree rather than kind. Implications of the

dimensional latent status of relationship quality,

as well as causes of the discrepant ndings with

previous taxometric studies, are discussed.

One central issue for every latent construct in

psychology (e.g., relationship quality) is its

latent nature: Differences in intelligence, for

example, are traditionally considered to be

dimensional (e.g., when quantifying intelli-

gence by a standardized test score) rather than

categorical (distinguishing different categories

such as intelligent vs. unintelligent). When con-

sidering a categorical construct, such as Down

syndrome, on the other hand, the characteristic

is qualitative (groups are classied by existence

or absence of an extra chromosome) rather

than quantitative (varying degrees of Down

syndrome). The group bound together by the

1190 Journal of Marriage and Family 77 (October 2015): 1190–1201

DOI:10.1111/jomf.12211