Construction and Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Narcissism Questionnaire in Couple Relationships

Abstract

The present study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a narcissism questionnaire in couple relationships among married adults in Isfahan in order to provide a valid and reliable instrument for assessing narcissistic tendencies in marital interactions. This study was a survey-based instrument development research. The statistical population included all married men and women over 25 years of age in Isfahan. The sample consisted of 200 married participants selected through convenience sampling. Research instruments included the Narcissism in Couple Relationships Questionnaire, Millon Narcissism Subscale, Betrayal Tendency Questionnaire, and Family Relationship Scale. The developed questionnaire contained 22 items rated on a five-point Likert scale. Face validity, content validity, concurrent validity, convergent validity, divergent validity, and exploratory factor analysis were used to assess validity, while Cronbach’s alpha and test–retest methods were used to examine reliability. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency for the questionnaire, with an acceptable Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Correlation analyses indicated that the questionnaire scores had significant positive relationships with Millon narcissism scores and betrayal tendency, and a significant negative relationship with family relationships, supporting concurrent, convergent, and divergent validity (P<0.05). Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a two-factor structure consisting of “Belittling the Spouse” and “Superiority over the Spouse,” which explained a substantial proportion of the variance. Significant correlations between the factors and the total score further supported construct validity. Test–retest results also confirmed the temporal stability of the instrument. The findings indicate that the Narcissism in Couple Relationships Questionnaire possesses desirable psychometric properties, including adequate validity and reliability, and can be used as an effective instrument in research, family counseling, and therapeutic settings for assessing narcissistic tendencies in marital relationships.