Couple's Satisfaction among Lebanese adults: validation of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Couple Satisfaction Index-4 scales, association with attachment styles and mediating role of alexithymia

Lebanon is passing through an economic crisis leading to a decreased monthly income within a couple and more couple's dissatisfaction. Furthermore, many studies postulate that the different types of attachment styles affect the romantic relationship experienced between adults. The main objectives of our study were to (1) validate the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and Couple Satisfaction Index-4 (CSI-4) scales, and (2) assess the association between attachment styles and couple satisfaction and evaluate the mediating role of alexithymia in these associations. This cross-sectional study involved 445 Lebanese participants (April-May 2021). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out using SPSS AMOS v.24 on the couple satisfaction index and Toronto alexithymia scales' items. A linear regression was conducted, taking the couple satisfaction index as the dependent variable. The CFA results of the CSI-4 scale indicated an excellent fit (χ /df = 3.845/2 = 1.92, TLI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.046 [95% CI 0.001-0.115] (pclose = 0.436) and CFI = 0.998). The CFA of the TAS indicated a good/acceptable fit (χ /df = 422.31/132 = 3.2, TLI = 0.89, RMSEA = 0.07 [95% CI 0.063-0.078] (pclose