Lai Cheung Wong1, Amanda M. Y. Chu2, Cecilia L. W. Chan1

(1. The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; 2. Hang Seng Management College, Hong Kong)

 

 

Abstract: Trust contributes significantly to marital quality and helps to reduce the psychological and social cost that results from couples lacking trust. Yet, it is rarely examined in the Chinese context. This study aims to validate the Chinese version of RTS (C-RTS). The 30-item RTS was translated through a translation/back-translation procedure. The translated scale plus the validation scales were administered to 1,500 married individuals in Hong Kong, resulting in 665 completed questionnaires. The exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution in C-RTS instead of a five-factor solution as in the original scale. The partner’s responsiveness and the couple’s conflict efficacy form the individual’s affective experience in the marriage, which in turn contributes to the development of trust. Other cultural implications of the findings, such as the importance of the partner’s moral integrity and perceived relationship fairness in Chinese marriages, are discussed. C-RTS also demonstrated good psychometric properties. The findings show that C-RTS is useful to assess an individual’s level of trust in their marital partner.

 

 

Key words: Chinese; family; marriage; trust; scale; validation

 

JEL code: Z130