Psychometric Properties of the Coparenting Relationship Scale in Primiparous Mothers and Partners in Karachi, Pakistan

Background: The coparenting relationship plays an important role in raising a child. The Coparenting Relationship Scale (CRS) is widely used to assess the multidimensional nature of coparenting; however, its psychometric properties have not been examined separately among mothers and partners, particularly in low- and middle-income country settings. This study evaluated the factor structure of the CRS among first-time mothers and partners in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: The full study recruited primiparous mothers and their partners during the first or second trimester from a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The analysis utilized data from 120 mothers and 102 partners who consented to participate at 12 weeks postpartum. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed separately for mothers and partners using the WLSMV estimator. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach alpha coefficients for each CRS subscale. Results: The seven-factor model demonstrated good model fit among mothers, with latent factor correlations within the admissible range and standardized factor loadings ranging from 0.49 to 0.92. Among partners, preliminary findings indicated that a six-factor model in which Coparenting Closeness and Endorsement of Partner’s Parenting were combined provided a more appropriate representation of the data. Most CRS subscales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency; however, the Division of Labor subscale demonstrated low reliability among both mothers and partners. Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary evidence regarding the factor structure of the CRS among Pakistani mothers and partners.