Japanese version of the Equity Sensitivity Inventory Adapted for Married Couples

Objective

This study aimed to modify the Japanese version of the Justice Sensitivity Inventory for married couples raising children to help them become more aware of their partner's sensitivity to fairness.

Background

In Japan, couples with children tend to have prejudice about the division of roles, perceiving each other based on the fairness of child care, housework, and work.

Method

Our participants comprised married couples who lived together with a child aged between 1 month and 3 years. A Web company commissioned a survey, with 1,200 and 500 participants included in the first and second rounds of testing, respectively, conducted 1 week apart. We examined the correlation between each subscale of the Japanese version of the Equity Sensitivity Inventory Adapted for Married Couples (J-ESIA), the Japanese version of the Quality Marriage Index (J-QMI), the Japanese version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (J-IRI), and the short form of the Japanese Big-Five Scale (S-JBFS). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted.

Results

Three factors were identified: ES-Perpetrator, ES-Victim, and ES-Beneficiary. Cronbach's α for each subscale ranged from .95 to .96.

Conclusion

A couple-specific correlation was confirmed for comorbid validity.

Implications

Couples can recognize each other's sensitivity to fairness and bring about behavioral change in their relationship.