M
Marital Satisfaction Inventory:
Revised
Molly F. Gasbarrini1 and Douglas K. Snyder2
1
California School of Professional Psychology,
Alliant International University, Los Angeles,
CA, USA
2
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX,
USA
Name and Type of Measure
Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised (MSI-R);
multidimensional measure of intimate relation-
ship functioning designed to identify the nature
and intensity of distress in distinct areas of partner
interaction.
Introduction
The Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised
(MSI-R; Snyder 1997) is a multidimensional mea-
sure of intimate relationship functioning designed
to identify the nature and intensity of distress in
distinct areas of partner interaction. The MSI-R is
written at a 6th grade reading level and is com-
posed of 150 true-false items. The measure is
administered to both partners separately and
requires approximately 25 min to complete.
Each individual’s results can be scored and
interpreted separately or – preferably and more
# Springer International Publishing AG 2017
J.L. Lebow et al. (eds.), Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_399-1
informatively – the results from both members
of the couple can be displayed and interpreted in
conjunction with one another. Administration and
scoring can be conducted with hand-scored paper-
and-pencil materials or with either paper or online
administration for computer scoring and
interpretation.
Developers
The MSI-R was developed by Douglas
K. Snyder (1997).
Description of Measure
The primary use of the MSI-R is in identifying the
nature and extent of relationship distress with
couples considering or beginning conjoint ther-
apy. As a self-report measure, the MSI-R pos-
sesses unique features complementing the
clinical interview, in that it presents a low-cost,
low-effort method of gathering information across
a broad range of relationship issues and permits
sensitive information to be collected early; it also
allows couples to convey information that part-
ners are eager to communicate. When assessment
findings are discussed with the couple in a collab-
orative process, results from the MSI-R can facil-
itate therapeutic rapport and the identification of
treatment goals that are meaningful to the couple.
As a multidimensional inventory, the MSI-R can
2 Marital Satisfaction Inventory: Revised
serve as an objective measure of therapeutic gains
and outcome throughout therapy and at termina-
tion, both in specific problem areas and in relevant
domains not targeted by clinical interventions.
Various studies have also confirmed the use-
fulness of the MSI-R as a diagnostic tool with
individuals and families for whom marital distress
is not the primary complaint. For example, the
MSI-R helps to identify relationship strengths
and deficits that could potentially interact with
such difficulties as depression, chronic pain or
physical illness, and substance use disorders.
The MSI-R has been used successfully to estab-
lish the relationship context underlying such spe-
cific concerns as sexual dysfunctions or financial
problems. The MSI-R can also be useful in
assessing the home environment of families in
which emotional or behavioral difficulties of chil-
dren or adolescents are of primary concern.
Additionally, the MSI-R has received consid-
erable use as a multivariate criterion of marital
functioning in research investigating the effec-
tiveness of various treatment methods, marital
functioning across the family life cycle, and the
linkage between relationship distress and physi-
cal, emotional, and occupational functioning.
The measure is composed of 13 profile scales:
two validity scales, one global distress scale, and
10 additional scales assessing specific dimensions
of the relationship. Partners’ raw scores on each
scale, reflecting the number of items answered in
the scored (distressed) direction, are converted to
normalized T-scores based on gender-specific
norms with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation
of 10. In most domains scores of 50–60T suggest
moderate levels of distress, whereas scores greater
than 60T reflect more extensive distress in that
domain. MSI-R scale names, abbreviations, and
brief descriptions are as follows:
Inconsistency (INC): A validity scale assessing
the individual’s consistency in responding to
item content (20 item pairs with high scores
reflecting greater inconsistency).
Conventionalization (CNV): A validity scale
assessing individuals’ tendencies to distort the
appraisal of their relationship in a socially
desirable direction (10 items with high scores
reflecting denial of common relationship
shortcomings).
Global Distress (GDS): This measures individ-
uals’ overall dissatisfaction with the relation-
ship. It is the best single indicator of global
relationship affect and has been shown to be a
reliable predictor of couples’ response to clin-
ical interventions (22 items).
Affective Communication (AFC): This evaluates
individuals’ dissatisfaction with the amount of
affection and understanding expressed by their
partner. It is the best single measure of emo-
tional intimacy experienced in the relationship
(13 items).
Problem-Solving Communication (PSC): This
assesses the couple’s general ineffectiveness
in resolving differences. It measures overt dis-
cord rather than underlying feelings of
estrangement (19 items).
Aggression (AGG): This measures the level of
intimidation and physical aggression experi-
enced by respondents from their partners
(10 items).
Time Together (TTO): This evaluates the couple’s
companionship as expressed in time shared in
leisure activity (10 items).
Disagreement About Finances (FIN): This mea-
sures relationship discord regarding the man-
agement of finances (11 items).
Sexual Dissatisfaction (SEX): This assesses dis-
satisfaction with the frequency and quality of
intercourse and other sexual activity
(13 items).
Role Orientation (ROR): This evaluates the
respondent’s advocacy for a traditional versus
nontraditional orientation toward marital and
parental gender roles (12 items with high
scores reflecting a nontraditional, more egali-
tarian orientation).
Family History of Distress (FAM): This reflects
the disruption of relationships within the
respondent’s family of origin (9 items).
Dissatisfaction With Children (DSC): This
assesses the relationship quality between
respondents and their children as well as paren-
tal concern regarding the emotional and behav-
ioral well-being of their children (11 items).
Marital Satisfaction Inventory: Revised
Conflict Over Child Rearing (CCR): This evalu-
ates the extent of conflict between partners
regarding child rearing practices (10 items).
Psychometrics
The MSI-R was standardized in the USA based on
a sample of 1020 intact heterosexual, geographi-
cally diverse couples. The sample ensured repre-
sentation of persons in their late teens through
those in their 70s and was also representative of
the US population for such demographic charac-
teristics as ethnicity, educational level, and occu-
pation. Snyder (1997) provided evidence for
internal consistency and temporal stability of
MSI-R scales as well as their convergent and
discriminant validity. Specifically, the US com-
bined standardization and clinical samples yielded
coefficients of internal consistency for the MSI-R
scales ranging from 0.65 to 0.93 (M = 0.81);
6-week temporal stability coefficients ranged
from 0.74 to 0.88 (M = 0.79). A comparison of
50 clinic couples and 77 community couples
matched on demographic indices provided evi-
dence that each of the MSI-R scales discriminated
between the community and clinic couples, with
moderate to large effect sizes (Cohen’s d) ranging
from 0.43 to 2.35 (M = 1.07). Actuarial tables
linking scale scores to descriptors of the relation-
ship provided by clinicians and both spouses
showed the MSI-R scales to relate to a broad
range of external criteria consistent with their
interpretive intent (Snyder and Aikman 1999).
A brief 10-item screening scale (Marital Satis-
faction Inventory – Brief form or MSI-B;
Whisman et al. 2009) was developed as an effi-
cient means of identifying intimate relationship
distress among individuals whose initial primary
complaints may focus on emotional or physical
health concerns. Because relationship distress has
high comorbidity with a variety of psychological
and physical health problems, screening for rela-
tionship distress may be critical to identifying
those individuals potentially benefitting from
couple-based interventions. The MSI-B is com-
posed of two items from each of the five scales
(Global Distress, Time Together, Sexual
3
Dissatisfaction, Affective Communication, and
Problem-Solving Communication) most strongly
related to overall relationship quality. In
constructing the MSI-B, two items from each of
the 5 scales were selected based on the highest
item-total correlations and independent evalua-
tion to verify that items were indicative of the
content domain they were intended to measure.
The MSI-B has good test-retest reliability
(r = 0.79); using a cut score of 4 for identifying
intimate relationship distress yields high sensitiv-
ity (0.88) and specificity (0.84). Additional ana-
lyses of the MSI-B based on item response theory
lends additional support to this 10-item screener
and suggests smaller subsets of items for identi-
fying relationship distress at specific thresholds
for prevention or intervention purposes
(Balderrama-Durbin et al. 2015).
Items on the MSI-R (and MSI-B) refer to “rela-
tionship” and “partner” (rather than “marriage”
and “spouse”), facilitating use of the inventory
with nontraditional respondents such as same-
sex or nonmarried cohabiting couples. In a study
of gay male and lesbian couples in the USA
(Means-Christensen et al. 2003), the MSI-R
scales retained high levels of internal consistency
across traditional married and nontraditional sam-
ples, and specifically across gay and lesbian cou-
ples. Moreover, factor analyses indicated a high
degree of convergence in relations among overall
relationship satisfaction and specific domains of
interaction across married heterosexual,
cohabiting, and gay and lesbian couples. Overall,
cohabiting same-sex and opposite-sex couples
were more alike than different, and more similar
to married heterosexual couples from the general
community than to clinical samples of distressed
couples. Similar findings were found in a replica-
tion study of an Italian adaptation of the MSI-R
with gay and lesbian couples in Italy (Antonelli
et al. 2014). In using the MSI-R with same-sex
couples, items composing the Role Orientation
(ROR) scale are omitted.
Recent research examining cross-cultural
applications of the MSI-R suggests that this mea-
sure may be useful for assessing couples’ func-
tioning across a wide variety of cultures.
Preliminary evidence of reliability and validity
4 Marital Satisfaction Inventory: Revised
has been garnered for translations of the MSI-R
into Spanish, German, French, Italian, Arabic,
Korean, and Chinese adaptations (Snyder et al.
2004). For each adaptation, translations of the
MSI-R were developed through an iterative pro-
cess of back translation by a team of bilingual
psychologists with expertise in both relationship
functioning and test translation. Various studies
regarding each of these translated versions of the
MSI-R lend support to scales’ internal consis-
tency, temporal stability, and factor structure. Evi-
dence of discriminative validity between clinical
and community samples provides support for
using these translated versions for (a) identifying
couples for secondary prevention or intervention
protocols, and (b) planning and evaluating spe-
cific interventions for couples in treatment. How-
ever, differences in findings for the MSI-R in
various cross-national studies point to the need
to give special consideration to cultural variations
in gender role attitudes (as they relate to the Role
Orientation – ROR – scale) and child-rearing
practices (especially as they relate to the Dissatis-
faction With Children – DSC – scale) (Gasbarrini
et al. 2010).
Ongoing research with the MSI-R continues to
build on the empirical findings accrued in the
35 years since its initial development – emphasiz-
ing evidence-based application of the instrument
to special populations varying in culture (e.g.,
extensions to non-Western cultures), age (e.g.,
shifts in item properties with older adults), rela-
tionship structure (e.g., same-sex couples with
children), presenting problems (e.g., specific emo-
tional and physical health problems), and clinical
context (e.g., military and veteran clinical
settings).
Example of Application in Couple and
Family Therapy
Tony and Anna sought couple therapy after a year
of increasing conflict and unhappiness in their
marriage, exacerbated by acute stresses related to
rearing two young boys. Tony had agreed to ther-
apy reluctantly following Anna’s urging, and felt
uncomfortable describing their marital problems
to an outsider. On the MSI-R, both partners
reported extensive dissatisfaction in their relation-
ship (GDS) and difficulties with resolving differ-
ences (PSC). Anna’s emotional disaffection was
reflected both in her reports of feeling uncared for
(AFC) and experiencing little quality time with
Tony (TTO). Both partners acknowledged intense
conflicts around parenting (CCR) and concerns
about their 3-year-old son’s behavior (DSC).
Anna’s very high scores across numerous scales,
reflecting her extensive generalized unhappiness,
surprised Tony and brought him to realize that
their marriage was in crisis.
Initial treatment interventions across 10 ses-
sions were guided by the MSI-R and included
instructing the couple in effective communication
skills (decision-making and both emotional
expressiveness and responsiveness skills),
reaching explicit agreements for increasing qual-
ity time together separate from their children, and
providing psychoeducation around child develop-
ment and collaborative parenting. After these ini-
tial interventions, the couple again completed the
MSI-R and both partners showed significant
reductions in distress in these targeted domains
(PSC, AFC, TTO, and CCR) as well as reduced
overall distress (GDS). However, Anna’s profile
reflected a significant increase in sexual dissatis-
faction (SEX) – which she attributed to her
regaining a desire for sexual intimacy and frustra-
tion with Tony’s sexual insecurities and avoid-
ance. Based on this second MSI-R assessment,
and building on relationship gains they had
already achieved, their therapist encouraged
them to continue with a few additional sessions
devoted specifically to restoring and enhancing
sexual intimacy. Psychoeducation around couple
sexual functioning provided an essential platform
for Tony to disclose early sexual experiences that
had contributed to his anxieties in this area, and
improved communication skills enabled Anna to
respond in an empathic and supportive manner.
The couple worked through a series of brief inter-
ventions facilitating sexual exchanges in a non-
threatening context and reported significant
progress in this area.
An additional administration of the MSI-R
confirmed gains in both partners’ satisfaction
Marital Satisfaction Inventory: Revised
with their sexual relationship and continued gains
in communication, quality time together, and col-
laborative parenting. Based on these objective
findings as well as both the partners’ and thera-
pist’s subjective appraisals, therapy was
terminated.
Cross-References
▶ Douglas Snyder
References
Antonelli, P., Dettore, D., Lasagni, I., Snyder, D. K., &
Balderrama-Durbin, C. (2014). Gay and lesbian cou-
ples in Italy: Comparisons with heterosexual couples.
Family Process, 53, 702–716.
Balderrama-Durbin, C., Snyder, D. K., & Balsis, S. (2015).
Tailoring assessment of relationship distress using the
Marital Satisfaction Inventory – Brief form. Couple
and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 4,
127–135.
Gasbarrini, M. F., Snyder, D. K., Willson, V., & Newman,
D. (2010, June). Adaptation of the Marital Satisfaction
Inventory – Revised (MSI-R) in Germany, Spain, and
5
Korea: An empirical analysis of structural invariance.
In D. K. Snyder & C. Balderrama-Durbin (Co-chairs)
(Eds.), Cross-national approaches to evidence-based
couple assessment. Symposium presented at the meet-
ing of the World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive
Therapies, Boston.
Means-Christensen, A. J., Snyder, D. K., & Negy,
C. (2003). Assessing nontraditional couples: Validity
of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised (MSI-R)
with gay, lesbian, and cohabiting heterosexual couples.
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29, 69–83.
Snyder, D. K. (1997). Manual for the Marital Satisfaction
Inventory – Revised. Los Angeles: Western Psycholog-
ical Services.
Snyder, D. K., & Aikman, G. G. (1999). The Marital
Satisfaction Inventory – Revised. In M. E. Maruish
(Ed.), Use of psychological testing for treatment plan-
ning and outcomes assessment (2nd ed.,
pp. 1173–1210). Mahwah: Erlbaum.
Snyder, D. K., Cepeda-Benito, A., Abbott, B. V., Gleaves,
D. H., Negy, C., Hahlweg, K., & Laurenceau, J. P.
(2004). Cross-cultural applications of the Marital Sat-
isfaction Inventory-Revised (MSI-R). In M. E. Maruish
(Ed.), Use of psychological testing for treatment plan-
ning and outcomes assessment (3rd ed., pp. 603–623).
Mahwah: Erlbaum.
Whisman, M. A., Snyder, D. K., & Beach, S. R. H. (2009).
Screening for marital and relationship discord. Journal
of Family Psychology, 23, 247–254.