Introduction: Given the increase in the number of elderly, thus the marital satisfaction is becoming more important than before. However the assessment of marital satisfaction of the elderly requires a right tool which is proportional to the elderly of the community,Therefore, The purpose of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of marital satisfaction in the elderly and relationship of its components with the mental health and sexual intimacy of elderly in the province of Tehran.
Method: In this cross-sectional and correlational study, 383 elderly residents from the regions 1 and 6 of Tehran in the year 2015 were selected to complete the Heinz’s marital satisfaction, Batlani’s sexual intimacy, and Goldenberg and Hiller’s mental health questionnaires. The data were analyzed using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis and Lisrel software.
Results: Content validity index of the scale was confirmed by four professionals. Factor analysis of direct Oblimin rotation shows the relationship between the three general agent (satisfaction from communication and empathy, emotional and sexual satisfaction and the satisfaction from the health of spouse) in the questionnaires, accounting for the 59.23% of the total variance. Its reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and using split method was (0.89) & (0/72), respectively. Additionally, the results showed marital satisfaction of elderly is predictable through sexual intimacy and general health (P= 0/001).
Conclusion: The results suggest that the Persian version of the marital satisfaction of the elderly questionnaire has desirable credibility and reliability and can be used in the research, clinical, and treatment environments in order to assess the marital satisfaction of the elderly.