Locke-Wallace Short Marital-Adjustment Test: Psychometric Evaluation in Caregivers for Persons With Primary Malignant Brain Tumor

Abstract

Background and Purpose Caregivers’ well-being has been found to be associated with marital adjustment. This study’s purpose was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Locke-Wallace Short Marital-Adjustment Test (LWSMAT) in a sample of caregivers of persons with primary malignant brain tumor (PMBT). Methods Secondary analysis of data collected from 114 caregivers. The LWSMAT was tested for factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity. Results 5 extracted factors explained 60.55% of the total variance. Four interpretable factors (Contentment & Communication, Leisure & Sociality, Intimacy, and Shared Philosophy) had Cronbach’s alpha between 0.63 and 0.74. Convergent validity (r = −.35 and r = −.43, respectively, both p < .0001) and discriminant validity (r = .07, p = .49; and r = −.04, p = .67) were confirmed by comparing four factors with subdimensions of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA). Conclusion The LWSMAT is a multidimensional, reliable, and valid measure of marital adjustment in caregivers of persons with a PMBT.

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