Scale Analysis

The Discord Questionnaire (DQ) was developed by Beier and Sternberg to assess the quality and satisfaction between partners.

Purpose of the Scale

The Agreement/Disagreement Questionnaire is a 10-item tool designed to evaluate two main parameters of marital relationships: disagreement and conflict, as well as the degree of unhappiness associated with such disagreement. Representative subscales of the questionnaire include Communication, Child Rearing, Financial Management, Sexual Relationship, Conflict Management, Shared Activities and Interests, Emotional Support, and Decision-Making.

Question Calibration

Participants were asked to rate the 10 items individually according to the degree of agreement they had with their partner over the past month, using a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 to 7.

Statistical Analysis

The total score of the scale is obtained by summing the ratings of all items, resulting in a possible range from 10 to 70. Higher scores indicate greater disagreement and higher levels of distress.

Validity and Reliability

The Discord Questionnaire has been shown to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring agreement and disagreement between partners. It covers a broad range of topics critical to relationship quality. The DQ subscales demonstrate high Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, typically above 0.80, indicating strong internal consistency. Results also show high test–retest correlations, suggesting that the questionnaire is stable over time.

Bibliography

Beier, E. G., & Sternberg, D. P. (1977). Marital communication. Journal of Communication, 27(3), 92–97.