Psychometric properties of the Coparenting Relationship Scale in Chinese parents

• Published date: 01 October 2023
• Author: Jiawen Ju,Panqin Ye,Yufang Bian
• Date: 01 October 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12746

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Psychometric properties of the Coparenting

Relationship Scale in Chinese parents

Jiawen Ju

1,2

|Panqin Ye

1,2

|Yufang Bian

1,2

1

Collaborative Innovation Center of

Assessment for Basic Education Quality at

Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

2

Child and Family Education Research Center

at Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

Correspondence Yufang Bian,

No. 19, XinJieKouWai St., HaiDian District,

Beijing 100875, China.

Email: bianyufang66@163.com

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the psychomet-

ric properties of the Coparenting Relationship Scale

(CRS) in Chinese samples.

Background: The coparenting relationship serves an impor-

tant role in raising children. The CRS was originally devel-

oped to measure the multidimensionality of the coparenting

relationship. However, its latent structure and psychometric

properties have not been extensively addressed, particularly

in non-Western cultures.

Method: Data were collected from a sample of 991 Chinese

families (991 mothers, 967 fathers, 31–57 years of age). Confir-

matory factor analyses were utilized to provide evidence of the

theoretical factorial structure. Internal consistency was exam-

ined by Cronbach’sαand omega coefficients. Correlations

with the Dyadic Adjustment Scale were to verify criterion

validity. Configural, metric, scalar, and residual variance

invariance were examined across the gender of parents in

dyadic perspective.

Results: In contrast to a poor fit for the seven-factor structure

of the original 35-item CRS, the Chinese version of the CRS

(CRS-C) showed a good fit in a six-factor structure with

27 items. The CRS-C showed strict measurement invariance

across gender of the parent, satisfactory internal consistency,

and criterion-related validity as indicated by marital quality.

Conclusions: These findings provided preliminary evidence

that the CRS-C is reliable and valid for measuring the cop-

arenting relationship among Chinese parents.

Implications: Coparenting relationship and its measure-

ment will benefit from attention in non-Western contexts

and cross-cultural studies.

KEYWORDS

Chinese parents, confirmatory factor analysis, coparenting relationship,

measurement invariance, scale adaptation

Received: 22 April 2021Revised: 1 June 2022Accepted: 3 July 2022

DOI: 10.1111/fare.12746

© 2022 National Council on Family Relations.

1694 Family Relations. 2023;72:1694–1708.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare